Down & Out
by GwenCooper92
Summary: As the feud between Michaela and Lindsey intensifies, how will Miss Mason and Co stop it before it comes to a possibly tragic ending.
1. Warnings & Winners

**So first Waterloo Road fic guys, hope you enjoy.**

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Michaela was sat along one of the benches in the school yard. Around her sat a few of the waterloo road girls. Each were talking amongst themselves but Michaela's eyes were fixed firmly on a girl on the opposite side of the yard. There sat with all her friends was Lindsey James. She had never hated someone so much in her life.

Lindsey caught Michaela's eye and she narrowed her's in disgust. She was still fuming that Michaela had won their last fight easily and if it hadn't been for Miss Mason and Mr Meads perfectly timed arrival in that lane she knew she would have come off even worse then she did. Turning away she looked back at her friend's and tried to look interested in the conversation but all she could think about was how she would finish Michaela one and for all. _And she would do it. She knew how to kill someone. She had done it once and her Mum was now in prison paying for what she had done._

"I ain't gonna stand for this anymore, she walks around like she owns the place" Michaela growled her gaze never breaking from Lindsey.

"Ahh she'll have what's coming to her" Sam said from beside her. Michaela nodded her head, she would do something about Lindsey, put her in her place, show her that she was top dog and not that posh cow.

* * *

"Sorry Miss Hopewell but Miss Mason wants to see one of your pupils, Michaela White can you come with me please" Kim Campbell said as she spoke across the classroom. Michaela just rolled her eyes and got to her feet everyone around letting out cries of 'Oooh'. Slowly she trudged out of the class Miss Campbell right behind her.

"Take a seat Michaela" Rachel said as she shuffled the papers in her hands. Michaela dragged her feet over to the chair opposite Rachel and sat down.

"What have i done now" she groaned not knowing what she had done though she had a funny feeling what Miss Mason was about to say to her.

"I want to talk to you about what happened yesterday afternoon" Rachel said simply knowing she would have to take the firm approach. Michaela reminded Rachel of a female Bolton. But she tamed him and she knew she could tame Michaela with the same approach. She knew deep down that Michaela was wearing a disguise and she knew that the real Michaela was a kind and thoughtful girl, she'd seen it first hand, when no one was about and a young year seven girl was upset and crying, it was Michaela who was there sitting with her, listening to her and eventually putting a smile on her face. But an hour later another year seven girl had come running to her office saying that Michaela had shouted at her because she had been nasty to someone else.

"What you did was completely out of order" Rachel began but Michaela quickly cut across her angrily.

"Yeah and what Lindsey did to Karla was completely out of order, threatening and beating a girl with learning disabilities, stuff like that just isn't on" she spat angry that she was getting the worse end of the whole thing when she had done nothing wrong. She understood what Michaela meant but it was no the right way to go about things.

"We sorted that, maybe you were doing it for Karla but using your fists for retribution is not tolerated in this school do you understand" Rachel scolded her hand out in front of her pointing at Michaela.

"Well technically it was out of school" Michaela answered sarcastically really not in the mood for any hassle today.

"Well if it was out of school then maybe I should report it to the police, get Lindsey in her and see if she wants to press charges, or there's the alternative and that is you end this girl gang feud or whatever the hell is going on between the two of you, how does that sound" Rachel said putting her hands together and resting them on the desk.

Michaela just shrugged her shoulder and grunted. "Whatever" she said and got to her feet heading towards the door.

"Michaela we aren't done here, sit back down" Rachel ordered and Michaela reluctantly did so. "I want you to remember that my warning to you yesterday was clear, I will throw you out of this school with no hesitation if things get to much out of hand, the same warning has gone to Lindsey so do not think you are being victimized, so please try and stay out of each other's way understand" Rachel said her voice slightly softer now.

Michaela nodded her head this time the scowl still on her face. "Go on then, get yourself back to class" Rachel said a small smile on her face, she knew that Michaela had listened to her, even if it was only for a few hours. Michaela got to her feet once again and walked out of the door never throwing a backward glance.

* * *

"What was all tha about" Bolton asked as Michaela took her seat back in her English class. After their break up they had now become friends again.

"That slag Lindsey James, after our fight last night, well Mason warned me that if too much trouble happens then she's gonna expel me" Michaela pouted as she rested her head on her arms. _She didn't care if she got expelled, but she really didn't fancy it. And her parents would play hell._

"Ahh don't worry about her man, she ain't worth it yeah" Bolton reassured smiling at her. Michaela couldn't help but smile back at him and the two then went on to another conversation.

* * *

"I'm telling you by the end of the week Michaela White is gonna be out of here" Lindsey fumed as she walked home with her friends.

"What do you mean" Siobhan asked innocently as she wondered what her mate was planning for the other girl.

"I don't know yet, but she was pulled out of English today, most probably after yesterday cause I was, so if I provoke her enough, maybe I could get her kicked out, I'd much rather kill her if you ask me" Lindsey said casually. The other girls just stared at her. _Provoking her they could understand, fighting her they could understand, but killing her they couldn't, it just wasn't Lindsey but they could tell by the tone in her voice that she was serious and the other's began to get slightly scared._

"Kill her, come on Lindsey be serious" Ros said from Lindsey's left not really liking the turn the conversation had took.

"I completely agree with you" Amy chirped happily loving the thought of getting back at Michaela any way possible. Her plan with Bolton didn't go according to plan but she would help to make sure this one did.

"It's just an idea, Now all I have to do, is figure out how we're gonna get her" Lindsey said a cruel smile playing on her lips. The other's didn't know what to say. Each tried to ignore it but they knew that something bad was going to happen, and very soon.

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**So Lindsey out for blood aye, I wonder how it will all turn out, review if you liked.**


	2. Feuds & Formalities

Michaela strolled into school casually her hands pushed deep in the pockets of her trademark leather jacket._ All she wanted to do was keep her head down and get on with it today, she was in one of those moods_. But that didn't go according to plan because just as she got to the front doors of Waterloo road someone stuck their foot out and she tripped slightly only the door keeping her up.

Straight away she jumped into attack mode and when she turned around she wasn't surprised to see Lindsey James and all her mates standing there laughing.

Pulling out her headphones she began."What the hell do you think you're playing at" Michaela growled as she got right into Lindsey's face her own flushed with anger. Lindsey laughed and stayed still.

"Tripping you up, what your thick now as well ugly" Lindsey laughed. Michaela's temper flared and she gripped Lindsey roughly by the collar lifting her up slightly from the floor and slammed her up against the wall. Physically Michaela was stronger and hell of a lot more intimidating.

"I'd shut your mouth if I was you" Michaela threatened trying to stop herself from hitting Lindsey. _It will only make things worse for you Michaela_ she thought to herself as she glared at Lindsey angrily never losing grip on her.

"Get off me" Lindsey snarled back pushing Michaela backwards off of her. As she did this Michaela went forward once more but a tight grip on her shoulder held her back.

"Michaela White, Cooler now" Max Tyler yelled as he ripped her away from Lindsey and pushed her towards the school building. She could hear Lindsey and her gang laughing hysterically at her. She tried to pull away from him to give her a slap but his hand never left her shoulder as he pushed her through the halls of Waterloo road towards the cooler. This hallway was deserted as it was still before registration time.

His hand squeezed tighter on her shoulder and it began to hurt slightly. They turned the corner to go into the cooler. Max opened the door and pushed Michaela into the room. Slamming the door behind her he stormed in.

"If I've heard correctly you've already had one warning about coming into contact with Lindsey James so what exactly was that out there" Max said his voice low but full of menace. He moved so he was right in Michaela's face.

"She tripped me up and I reacted" Michaela answered not liking how close he was to her. She tried to get past him so she could have her space but he gripped her wrist tightly and held her in place.

"I used to think you had character, now I think you have a bit to much and I can see your clearly a delinquent who intends to cause trouble for me and this school" he seethed in disgust at her.

A small laugh escaped her lips. "I think you might find that it's Lindsey who's causing the trouble, I'm just trying to get on with things" she answered back not backing down. As she said this he sent a quick glance over his shoulder before he pushed her and she hit the wall with a thud. Moving forward again he pinned both her hands down by her sides. Pain shot down her back and along her wrists and she was sure they were going to pop off the joint.

"Sir get off me your hurting me" Michaela said wincing as he squeezed tighter.

"Don't you dare back chat me, I've got my eye on you Michaela, just remember that" he seethed again his eyes blazing. Footsteps echoed down the hallway and he quickly released her and took a step backwards. "Don't you dare repeat this to anyone" he threatened and she took a long gulp. Miss Mason appeared and walked into the cooler. Looking at the two she noticed Michaela rubbing her wrists and wincing slightly. Her eyes then went to Max Tyler who straightening out his suit.

"What is gong on here" she asked stepping into the room. Max cleared his throat and began slowly.

"Miss White here has been aggravating other students, most notably Lindsey James so I've told her to sit here in the cooler until further notice" Max said smoothly and Rachel nodded.

"Okay then well Mr Tyler if you excuse us I would like to speak with Michaela privately" Rachel said holding the door open for Max to leave.

"No problem I'll leave you to it" he said before stepping out of the door. Looking over his shoulder his eyes met Michaela's and they were filled with threat. Rachel noticed the frightened expression on Michaela's face as she watched Max go. _Nothing got Michaela looking scared._

"So what happened then, I warned you to stay away from her" Rachel began as she sat down on one of the tables. Michaela just sighed and put her hands on her forehead.

"Miss I swear I didn't do anything, I was walking into school minding my own business and Lindsey came and tripped me up, I lost my temper a little but that's it" Michaela said still slightly shaken from her altercation with Mr Tyler.

Rachel nodded. "Are you telling me that is what happened, no lie" she spoke her voice firm.

"Miss honestly I did listen to what you said yesterday, I don't want any trouble, I just want to get on with it, do my A/S levels, do my A levels and go" Michaela said getting slightly defensive again.

"Michaela why do you look so worried about something, and you've been constantly rubbing at your wrists for the last five minutes" Rachel enquired moving forward to sit on the table in front of Michaela. Michaela's eyes dropped to the floor not wanting to answer her question.

"Uhh no miss, nothings wrong" Michaela said trying to keep the hitch out of her voice. _Rachel could tell that Max had something to do with it, she just didn't know what._

"Did Mr Tyler act in a threatening way to you, because if he did Michaela then you have to tell me" Rachel said deciding to come out with it. Michaela flinched slightly but kept her head down.

"Uhh no miss he didn't, Miss can I go to the toilet please, I'll be straight back" Michaela said needing to get away from there to get her story straight. Rachel nodded.

"Yes you can, but come straight back" Rachel said and Michaela quickly hurried out of the cooler and towards the girls bathroom. Rachel rubbed a hand to her face and sighed. _Something went on between the two of them, he got to her I know it but how do I prove it_ she thought.

Michaela walked down the hall when out of nowhere Lindsey appeared. She was on her own.

"What do you want now" she groaned not wanting to really see her. Looking at her face she saw a small bruise and a cut along her lip. It was slightly swollen.

"Aww come on Michaela, it's not like you to turn down a good fight now, you gone soft" Lindsey mocked laughing as she stood in front of Michaela.

"Your gonna be going soft all over this floor if you don't shut your mouth" Michaela snapped back her eyes alighting with anger.

"That's more like it" Lindsey chuckled again as she began to loosen her tie a bit.

"What happened to your face, someone else give you what for isi" Michaela said back as she stared at the mark on her lip.

"No you did" Lindsey said smiling. Michaela didn't know what she was on about when suddenly it clicked. Lindsey fell to her knees and shouted as loud as she could. "Ahh get off me isi Michaela".

Rachel's head whipped up at the sound of Lindsey's voice and at exited the cooler swiftly. Looking down the hallway she found Lindsey on the floor and Michaela above her. "Okay break it up" Rachel shouted and stepped between the two girls.

"Miss she's nuts she just attacked me for no reason" Lindsey said as Miss Mason pulled her to her feet.

"You lying cow" Michaela yelled as she took an angry stepped forward. Rachel stayed in her position between the two.

"Michaela back in the cooler now" she said her voice hard as she pushed the bigger girl away and towards the cooler. Michaela turned and slammed her fist into the wall angrily. "COOLER NOW" Rachel yelled this time and Michaela entered the cooler. Another set of footsteps came down the corridor and Kim appeared.

"Ahh Kim could you please take Lindsey to your office please, I'll be over shortly" Rachel said looking at Lindsey to her left.

"Of course what happened" Kim said her voice filled with concern.

"It seems there's been an alleged assault on Miss James here" Rachel answered back her eyes wide.

"By who" Kim said looking at Lindsey and the wound on her face. Rachel just cocked her had to the side and Kim answered.

"Michaela White" And Rachel nodded slowly. "Okay I'll sort it out from this side and see if I can find out what happened, come on" she said to Lindsey and the two headed off towards the head of pastoral care's office.

Rachel turned and headed back into the cooler to find an angry Michaela her hand gripping a table tightly.

"Right tell me what the hell went on out there" Rachel yelled as she looked at Michaela who's body was shaking as she was so angry.

"Nothing Miss, I was on my way to the toilet when she comes out of nowhere a cut on her face and she starts trying to wind me up, then she fell on the floor and started shouting, Miss I didn't touch her" Michaela yelled angrily. _She knew Lindsey was out to get her but it was going to far now._

"Do you seriously expect me to believe that Michaela" Rachel said back and jumped when suddenly the table Michaela was gripping a hold of flipped over as Michaela lost her temper.

"Miss I swear I didn't lay a hand on her, you can tell that the cut on her lip is at least twenty minutes old, if I had only then punched there would be blood on her and plus her lip wouldn't have swelled up straight away" Michaela yelled punching the wall next to hard.

"Okay Michaela I need you to calm down" Rachel said taking a step forward. The sound had now attracted a crowd as Pupils who were heading to their lessons stopped and looked in with excitement.

"Why should I miss, she's trying to set me up I'm telling you" Michaela yelled again punching another wall. Her knuckles split open and blood slipped out from them.

"Michaela we need to sort this out okay but your gonna have to cool off" Rachel yelled taking another step forward. _She had never seen one of her pupils so angry in their life._

"Come on Miss you know what I'm saying is right, she'd have blood all over her face but there's not a speck on her or on me, she framing me" Michaela said her voice rising slightly._ If there was one thing she hated more than anything was being accused of doing something she didn't do_. "This is exactly what Amy Porter did to Bolton and now they're doing it to me" Michaela yelled and she tipped over another table.

"Right Michaela just sit down and take a deep breath I'll be right back" Miss Mason said and she opened the door of the cooler and stepped. "Okay everyone to your lessons now" she ordered and obediently they all scurried away until after a few moments the hallway was empty. Rachel turned and walked back into the room to see Michaela sat on one of the chairs her head on the table.

"Let me have a look at your hand" Rachel said as she approached the girl. Carefully she grabbed Michaela's hand and she examined her knuckles. There was a lot of blood on them and she could clearly she where one was swollen and out of place.

Michaela just looked up at Miss Mason and her eyes were filled with sincerity. "Miss honestly I didn't touch her, I'll put my life on it" Michaela said her voice now quiet and low. Rachel looked into Michaela's eyes and she could tell, in that moment she knew that Michaela was telling the truth.

"Okay now I want you to go to the nurse's office so she can bandage your hand up, I'm going over to speak to Lindsey and we'll get to the bottom of this okay" Rachel reassured and Michaela just nodded. Grabbing her bag she slung it over her shoulder and slowly left the room her head hung low.

* * *

"We had a few words and she hit me, it just came from nowhere" Lindsey said as she spoke to Kim and Rachel. Kim nodded.

"Okay and why did she hit you, what exactly did you say to her that made her hit you" Kim said her voice soft as she looked at Lindsey.

"Miss it's Michaela White she doesn't need a reason to hit anyone" Lindsey growled bitterly. Kim and Rachel both ignored the comment.

"What did you say to her" Rachel said her voice firm and a lot harder than Kim's.

"I said she was thick, a thug and a delinquent" Lindsey said her voice quieting slightly trying to make sure she sounded convincing.

"Well no wonder she hit you then" Miss Mason said put her hand together. She could see straight through Lindsey's charade.

"Umm Kim can you go and get Michaela from the nurses office for me please and bring her here" Rachel said and Kim nodded and got to her feet exiting the room.

Kim walked down a few halls and got to the stairs when she bumped straight into someone. Looking up she came face to face with Max.

"Oh hello" she said smiling as she looked at him.

"Hello, can I ask what's the rush" he laughed as he put his hands at his sides.

"I'm just going to get a student from the nurses office, there's been a supposed assault, two year 12 pupils Michaela White and Lindsey James" Kim said shrugging her shoulders. Max's eyes instantly lit up.

"Really, well I had a word with Michaela earlier and told her that she was not to go anywhere near Lindsey" Max said as he tried to keep his cool.

"Well apparently she didn't listen to your advice and punched Lindsey" Kim said not knowing whether to believe Lindsey or not. _She had been fooled once this term._

"Okay, look you go back to Rachel and help her with her enquiries and I'll go and get Michaela from the nurses office and bring her to you two if you would like" Max said trying to soften his voice.

"Umm yeah sure if that's okay with you" Kim said and he nodded his head.

"The pleasure's all mine" he said and with a flash of a smile at Kim he hurried back down the stairs to the nurses office.

The nurse had just finished bandaging Michaela's hand when the door creaked open and in strode Max Tyler. Michaela groaned and turned her head away from him.

"Michaela Miss Mason would like to see you up in Miss Campbell's office" Max said his voice full of authority.

"Hmm and they had to send you" she said her fright from earlier replaced now with anger at him.

"Now" he barked his voice stronger than before and she got to her feet grabbed her things and walked out of the office.

As the door shut behind them he gripped her arm tightly and practically dragged her towards the stairs.

"I thought I warned you" he growled angrily in her ear as he pulled her along. His hand was like a tourniquet band around her arm.

"You did and I didn't do anything to her, she's trying to set me up" Michaela snarled back bitterly. Max stopped and quickly gripped a Michaela's injured hand squeezing it tightly.

"What did I say about answering back" he said his voice still quiet but laced with malice. Michaela winced in pain as it ripped through her hand.

"Where's Michaela" Rachel asked as Kim entered the office alone.

"Oh umm Max has gone to fetch her" Kim said casually sitting back down next to Rachel. Rachel's blood froze up slowly.

"Okay, but I asked you to get her not Max Tyler" Rachel said back slightly angry that Kim had now gotten him involved.

"I swear I'm gonna do everything I can to get you kicked out of this school by the end of term do you understand" Max barked as he pushed her forward and they kept on walking towards Kim's office.

"Good luck Sir" she said trying to laugh off the pain in her hand as she continued on route to Kim's office. His fists balled up at his sides but he calmed himself down slightly.

"I wonder what Mason would think of your violent solutions" she said bravely knowing she could get the upper hand and get him off her case.

"Like she would believe you" he growled. Michaela stifled another laugh.

"Do you really want to test that Sir" Michaela said again as they now neared Miss Campbell's office.

Max didn't say anything instead he gripped her sore shoulder again and as they got to the office he opened the door and forcefully pushed her in. He pushed her hard enough that she had almost tripped over her own feet.

"Uhh Max what do you think you're doing" Rachel said as she got to her feet and she strided over to Michaela.

"Bringing this delinquent to you Miss Mason" Max answered his voice once again regaining his silky smooth lilt.

"Well I'd rather you not throw them through the door in future, you can go now" Rachel said frostily and Max was about to argue back but with a huff he stormed out of the office.

Michaela turned around and her eyes fell on Lindsey who had a small smirk on her face. This made Michaela's anger boil again and only Rachel's arm held her back.

"Michaela if you would sit here please" she said and Michaela obediently sat down next to Rachel her eyes fixed firmly on Lindsey.

"Okay Michaela did you or did you not hit Lindsey" Kim said her voice soft and gentle.

"No miss I didn't touch her" Michaela pleaded looking at the two teachers. They both nodded their heads.

"Yeah you did you just punched me for no reason" Lindsey jumped in eager to stir things up.

"You lying cow what the hell do you have against me" Michaela barked her voice getting higher with every word.

"Michaela cool it, now tell Miss Campbell what you told me earlier about how there's no blood and all that" Rachel said trying to make sure Michaela's case was as strong as possible.

"Look if I had hit her, there would have been blood on me, on her face and plus her lip would still be flat, it takes at least ten to twenty minutes for your lip to swell up after being punched, I should know" Michaela said as she crossed her arms defensively across her chest. "I'm telling you this is exactly what they did to Bolton and now their doing it to me" Michaela added her voice full of anger.

"Lindsey what do you have to say to this" Rachel said her eyes narrowing on the John Foster's girl. Lindsey didn't know what to say, she hadn't thought about that aspect. Suddenly she began to panic.

"Umm she hit me, it just didn't bleed that's all" Lindsey said. _If that's the best you can come up with Linds then you are screwed_ she thought to herself as she dropped her head from their gaze. _Just give up now, we'll think of something else_ she thought again and raised her head to look at the three opposite.

"Lindsey did you lie about Michaela hitting you, yes or no" Rachel said sternly. Lindsey didn't answer.

"Lindsey yes or no" she said again this time a bit more forcefully.

"Yes okay I lied about it" Lindsey yelled as she crossed her hands across her chest tightly not happy that she had to back down and once again had lost to Michaela White.

"Right well I think you owe Michaela an apology" Rachel said before Kim could say anything. Lindsey gritted her teeth and quietly spoke.

"Sorry" she mumbled. It was barely audible. Michaela smirked and leaned forward.

"Speak up, can't hear you" Michaela laughed enjoying watching Lindsey squirm. Suddenly out of nowhere her fist soared through the air and straight into Michaela's face. As soon as it connected with the girl she instantly striked back and jumped from her seat rugby tackling Lindsey off the settee. Landing on top of her she punched her square in the face but before they could get any more shots in, Kim and Rachel grabbed Michaela roughly and lifted her off Lindsey. Pulling her away Rachel turned and scolded Lindsey.

"My office now" she yelled and looked at Kim who knew that was her cue to leave with Lindsey and escort the sixth former to her office. Once the two had gone she turned and looked at Michaela.

"Why did you react" Rachel asked stunned by Michaela's ever increasing aggression.

"She punched me, I'm sorry miss I tried to stop myself I just had to defend myself that's all" she answered rubbing her bandaged hand gingerly.

"Okay I can understand that Michaela, I'm sorry that we didn't believe you at first" Rachel said softly as she put her hand on Michaela's arm and squeezed but as she did this Michaela winced and pulled her arm away.

"Michaela what is it" she said noticing a flash of pain on Michaela's face.

"Nothing I just knocked it that's all" Michaela said self consciously rubbing it.

"Let me see" Rachel said and she grabbed a hold Michaela's arm and slowly pulled up the hem of the sleeve. Michaela didn't fight back she merely let miss look at her arm.

Once rolled up Rachel gasped in shock. There on her arm was a visible hand mark.

"Michaela did Max Tyler do this" she said horror filling her voice. Michaela just looked away and pulled her sleeve back down.

"Miss what are you gonna do with Lindsey, I ain't safe with her around" Michaela said changing the subject. Rachel snapped out of her shock and looked at Michaela.

"I'm going to give her a two day suspension, right you better head off to class I'll inform your teacher later of your where abouts okay" Rachel said softly and Michaela nodded her head.

Rachel watched the girl go and she just knew, that instinct that she had, _she knew this wasn't over._

* * *

**So long chapter I know but we have to get the momentum going lol, hope you enjoyed guys review if you did.**


	3. Truths & Tough Times

The two Lindsey free days had passed and Michaela was sat at her table in her English class her eyes boring into the back of Lindsey's head who sat well in front of her.

"So it's back then" Bolton said turning to Michaela and pointing at Lindsey. Michaela just groaned and nodded her head.

"Yeah she is and probably working out a new plan to get me kicked out of this school" Michaela said gritting her teeth angrily. Lindsey kept sending a few small glances at Michaela but nothing to obvious.

"Okay umm Michaela can you please name me one of Shakespeare's greatest works" Miss Hopewell said across the class knowing that Michaela hadn't been listening and wouldn't know the answer.

"Huh don't ask her miss she's thick like hell will she know" Lindsey laughed from the front expecting everyone to laugh with her but instead they fell silent and glared at her and several cries of 'Ooh' reached her ears.

"What did you say" Michaela shouted not really wanting another slanging match but she would not be the first person to back down. Lindsey turned in her seat and was now facing Michaela.

"What your deaf and dumb now" she said knowing she was pressing all of Michaela's buttons. Michaela's hands clenched tightly and pain seared through her right hand as the still bandaged knuckles cracked slightly. Bolton put his hand on her shoulder to try and cool her down. _Sure he loved to watch a good fight but he knew Michaela would come off the worst end with the heads if she started to attack Lindsey._

"Do you want another kicking Lindsey cause you're certainly asking for one" Michaela growled her anger beginning to get the better of her. A pause came across the class and Miss Hopewell decided that she should try to intervene.

"Now everyone just settle down" she said loudly but no one even paid her a second glance as they focused their eyes on the brewing fight in front of them.

"Lindsey I'd shut it if I was you" Bolton injected into the conversation deciding he should try and do something, anything to try and calm things down.

Lindsey laughed, "Oooh wow the ex boyfriend sticking up for you, yeah like you scare me Bolton" Lindsey chortled as she looked between the two.

"The both of you think you're all this but you know what you're disgusting low lives and the only thing I can compare you to is Vermin" Lindsey added and at this Michaela pushed her chair back and got to her feet angrily. As she was about to go forward to grip Lindsey she felt Botlon's arm tighten around her to hold her back.

"Michaela she ain't worth it, look just sit back down yeah and ignore her man" he said trying to keep the peace. _If it was anyone else he wouldn't have got involved and egged on the fight. But this was Michaela, his Michaela._

"Why do you think I'm gonna do that, she just called us vermin the cheeky cow" Michaela yelled turning to look at Bolton. She didn't mean to shout at him, but at the moment her temper had flared. "You know what maybe we don't hit your John Fosters standards but we have hell of a lot more personality than you boring stuck up cows" Michaela shouted turning back to look at Lindsey who was now also on her feet. People had pulled their phones out ready to film the on coming fight.

"Yeah who the hell do you think you are" Danielle Harker chipped in as she and Aleesha got to their feet and stood next to Michaela. Lindsey's friends did the same with Siobhan and Amy on either side of her.

"I'll tell you who she is, she's the daughter of a psycho who killed her father, you're a danger to everyone if your backround is anything to go by" Michaela snapped back bitterly. She could feel Bolton's arms tighten around her own as if knowing that any second she would lunge at the girl.

Lindsey's eyes widened in anger and she took a step forward as if to jump towards Michaela but as if on cue Miss Mason and Miss Campbell opened the door and walked in.

"Right what is going on in here" Rachel said her hands on her hips and her posture firm. She looked at Lindsey and then over at the restrained Michaela. "Miss Hopewell how did this happen, you should have controlled them and prevented this" Rachel scolded looking at the stunned teacher. Miss Hopewell didn't even know how to answer.

"Right Lindsey cooler now, Michaela my office" Rachel ordered as all the pupils rushed to their seats. The only ones left on their feet was Michaela, Bolton and Lindsey. "Bolton you too" Rachel said again and the three filed out of the room Bolton still keeping his arm in place to make sure she won't kick off again.

Lindsey and Kim turned and went one way and Rachel Bolton and Michaela went another. The route to Rachels office wasn't long and before they knew it they were outside it.

"Right Bolton if you would wait here for a few minutes I'll call you in once I'm done with Michaela, Michaela if you will" Rachel said standing to the side and allowing Michaela to enter.

Shutting the door behind her she walked around to her side of the desk and sat down Michaela repeating the movements and also sitting down.

"Well seems I appeared at the perfect moment" Rachel said as she placed her two hands on the table in front of her. Michaela let out a low laugh.

"Miss I'm actually glad, I'm telling you she was lucky I didn't knock her into next week" Michaela said as she rubbed her hands along her legs trying to calm herself down.

"Michaela" Rachel warned raising and eyebrow at the young girl.

"Sorry miss" Michaela said putting her hand up as she realized that she was throwing the threats that she swore she wouldn't around.

"So what was it this time" Rachel said curiously. This vendetta the two had was really starting to trouble Rachel. _She had never seen or felt such a volatile atmosphere when the two were in close proximity of each other and it wasn't getting better but worse._

"Miss Hopewell asked me a question right something about Shakespeare so I was gonna answer but she" Michaela said saying the word 'she' a lot more forcefully than the rest of the sentence. "cut across me and said don't ask her she's thick, so we just started throwing some words about and then she had the nerve to turn around and say to us, not just me and Bolton but also to all the Waterloo road kids that we were disgusting low lives and we should be called vermin, miss I ain't gonna stand for her to say stuff like that" Michaela spat bitterly as her frustration built up slightly as she remembered the argument.

"Really that's what she said was it" Rachel said leaning forward interested. _She hated the influence that Max had over the John Fosters kids and they too were like him, bitter and cruel to people from working class families._

Michaela nodded and unfolded her crossed arms. "If it wasn't for Bolton I would have killed her right there" Michaela added acknowledging that Bolton really had got her out of that trouble. Rachel just smiled, _she knew Bolton would try and prevent anything form happening, he had changed into a completely different boy in the last year. Sure he had his moments where his wild ways came through just as Michaela did._

"Okay Michaela I'm going to give you some advice, don't bite to it, that's what she wants you to do, to provoke you just walk away and don't listen to her yeah" Rachel said as she got to her feet and sat on the edge of the table in front of Michaela.

"But Miss I can't just sit around and watch as she insults people, makes them feel that small, I can take it that she hates me I don't care about that you know it's just her attitude towards us, it's not right miss" Michaela said knowing that if she didn't stand up for the pupils of waterloo road then no one will.

Rachel sent a small smile at the youngster. "I admire your stubbornness and the way they've been treating the kids of this school has been appalling but Michaela you can't go around beating up everyone who does it, in the end they're just kids" Rachel said completely understanding where Michaela was coming from but not liking the approach she was taking with the nasty pupils.

"I suppose, but Lindsey is the exception miss, she beat up a girl with special needs, that was one step to far and she deserves to be kicked out of this school, she's got a serious problem with me now as well, she is doing everything she can to wind me up and get me chucked out" Michaela argued back trying her hardest to show Miss Mason that she was right.

"Michaela I can guarantee that you will not be going anywhere, I know the situation as does Miss Campbell and Mr Mead" Rachel replied easing any of Michaela's worries about expulsion. "But I am going to warn you that you should try and stay out of Mr Tyler's way, he wants you gone and is out to get you so just watch your step around him yeah" Rachel added on as she tried to pry anything else she could out of the girl.

"I don't know why miss but he hates me" Michaela said looking up at Rachel.

"Clearly" Rachel answered knowing that she may just be able to get Michaela to tell the truth about Max's behavior towards her. "Look Michaela you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to, but that bruise you had on your arm how did you get it" Rachel asked her voice soft and gentle. If Michaela didn't want to tell her then she didn't have to.

Michaela froze for a second. _She didn't expect that question to arise in the conversation._

"I can't remember miss I think I knocked it on something" Michaela said trying to cover it up, for some reason though she felt she not just wanted to tell Miss Mason but also that she needed to,_ to stop him from doing it to anyone else._

"Michaela it's a man's hand print in the bruise, the only way I think you could have come to acquire it is when Mr Tyler forcefully pushed you into Miss Campbell's office the other day" Rachel responded throwing some stuff together and seeing if she would get a reaction. _And she did. Michaela flinched slightly and Rachel knew straight away that she was right._

"Michaela if he hurt you, you need to tell me" Rachel said moving closer to her. Michaela just turned her head in the other direction.

"Okay he got a little physical" Michaela said quietly not really wanting to say anything now, she knew that this could either stop him bullying her, or just make it worse.

"Physical, can you explain to me more Michaela" Rachel said and even though she knew he had laid a hand on the young girl it still shocked her when it was said aloud.

"He pushed me around a bit, when we were in the cooler in the morning, pushed me into the wall and pinned my wrists to my side so I couldn't move and he threatened me all that stuff, then you came in" Michaela began her voice still low. _She couldn't even look at her._

"Anything else" Rachel answered still in shock that he would do something like that.

"And then when he came to get me from the nurses office, he gripped my arm and dragged me through the halls, squeezing really tight, I didn't listen to what he was saying I was to angry to go along with what he said, so in a temper he threw me up against the wall on the stairs and grabbed my hand which was hurt and squeezed it tightly, then he gripped my shoulder again and we went into Miss Campbell's office where you were miss" Michaela finished her eyes fixed firmly on the window.

"I'm sorry Michaela, he has no right to do that, I'm going to sort this out and if you want to launch a complaint against him then I will support you through it" Rachel said and touched Michaela's shoulder. Unlike when Max did it Rachel's hand was extremely gentle there.

"No miss please, I don't think he'll do anything again, I kinda threatened him back like, so please can we just leave it at that" Michaela said her gaze now falling to her lap. _She didn't want a fuss._

Rachel moved her hand from Michaela's shoulder and grabbed her chin turning her face to face her own.

"You don't have to be frightened Michaela you did the right thing coming clean" Rachel said softly. _What was Max playing at. Did he really want to lose his job._

"I'm not frightened Miss, how he got a job as a teacher I don't know" Michaela said her hands twiddling idly in front of her.

"Me neither, look I'm not going to say anything to the officials, but I will say something to Mr Tyler, you tell me if anything else happens okay" Rachel said and Michaela nodded her head. She was lost for words and Michaela White was never lost for words.

"Right you head on off to class, I'm going to have a word with Bolton, remember what I said don't bite to Lindsey's jibes" Rachel added and Michaela just shrugged her shoulders and grabbed her stuff.

"Don't you worry about anything now okay, I know it hasn't been the best of terms for you but I can assure you everything will be sorted as soon as possible" Rachel said as she grabbed the door and held it open for Michaela to leave.

"Thanks Miss" Michaela muttered quietly before heading past Bolton without a second glance. _She just wanted to sit back and relax for a while._

"Bolton come on in" Rachel said as she ushered Bolton through the door.

"So can you tell me what happened in Miss Hopewell's class" Rachel asked Bolton knowing she was going to have the same story as Michaela.

"That Lindsey girl was playing up like ini, she had a propa pop at Michaela for no reason man, and then at the rest of us, Michaela would have killed her if you and Miss Campbell hadn't shown up" Bolton answered coolly looking at his head teacher.

"Okay and Bolton you and Michaela seem close, what has she been like to you for the last few weeks, has she been upset, hurt somehow, angry" Rachel asked just making sure that nothing in Michaela's home life was fueling her anger.

"Nah miss she's been fine, it's only when Lindsey's around she gets angry, and I mean she gets propa angry, I aint never seen anyone with as much rage as her these days, if you ask me Miss that Lindsey girl should be out of this school, she's causing trouble for everyone especially Michaela, she's constantly out to get her" Bolton said sticking up for Michaela and just making sure that Miss Mason could see how much of a stirrer Lindsey James was.

"Right, well thank you Bolton, people were saying that about you once" Rachel laughed looking at Bolton. He just smiled proudly.

"I've grown up a bit now Miss" he answered smugly. Rachel just shook her head.

"Okay Bolton you can be excused, could keep an eye on Michaela for me if you see anything going on with her Miss James tell me immediately yes" Rachel asked knowing that another pair of eyes would help.

"Sure Miss" Bolton answered before turning on his heels and walking out of the office.

* * *

Lindsey was stood with her mates next to one of the walls on the outside of the building. Everyone began their walk or car trip home form school but the group were fixed firmly in place.

"There she is" Siobhan said as she pointed to Michaela's tall form slinking across the yard towards the gate her phone in her hand. They quickly made a beeline for Michaela and in seconds they were behind her.

"Hey Michaela you do know who Shakespeare is don't you" Lindsey chimed continuing on form the joke she had made about her in their English class. Michaela ignored her and continued walking. _Don't bite Michaela, don't bite_ she kept repeating to herself like a mantra as she tried to ignore Lindsey's voice.

"That's a no" Amy said her voice going high pitched with laughter at the end of the sentence. Michaela stopped and spun on the spot staring directly down at Lindsey.

"Are you done" she said trying to keep the anger that was bubbling in her veins down. Rachel was in the window of her office and her eyes widened as she watched the beginning of the confrontation. _Walk away Michaela, don't do anything_ she thought. She wanted to go down there and instantly separate the two but she just knew that Michaela would do the right thing.

"Not really no" Lindsey said taking a step forward. The two were now inches apart fire dancing in both their eyes. Michaela's hand clenched tightly at her sides. Thankfully no one had been really paying attention so a crowd hadn't surrounded them.

"Well you should be, I don't know what your problem is with me you posh slag, but I'm warning you stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours yeah" Michaela said letting a little of the anger out but not enough to grab Lindsey by the throat and strangle her to death like so wanted to do.

"Ooh scary" Lindsey laughed putting her hands up into the air in mock fright. "Nah your alright, I'm having quite a lot of fun with you , you know" Lindsey continued watching as Michaela turned her back on her carried on walking.

_Come on Michaela that's it_ Rachel thought watching as Michaela began to move away slightly but the thought was but abruptly short when Michaela whipped back around. In the corner of her eye she could see Bolton heading towards where Michaela was.

"Well I aint, I don't like people like yous company, so just back off yeah, I know what you're trying to do and it isn't going to work, I'm not going to lower myself to your level thanks" Michaela growled and turned once again heading towards the gate.

"Michaela wait up man" came Bolton's London drawl as he hurried up alongside her. Sending a quick glance at the girls he glared at them and they stopped.

"You alright, were they giving you grief" Bolton asked as he watched the girls turn and walk the other way.

"A little, but nothing I couldn't handle' Michaela grinned at him as the two exited the school gates and headed towards her home Bolton at her side.

_Good girl Michaela_ Rachel thought as she turned away from the window and was stood by her desk. Finally the person she had been waiting for entered the room.

"Rachel I didn't think you would still be here" came Max's voice as he straightened out his tie.

"It is my office, you know Max, I know you were harsh with punishments, but hitting the kids, very unprofessional of you" Rachel said as she rested her hands on her hips keeping her posture strong.

"What are you talking about Rachel" Max said smoothly not seeming fazed by the revelation.

"Oh don't give me that Max, Michaela White ring any bells, why is it I find bruises covering her wrists and a man's hand print bruise on her arm, she told me what you did. I will not tolerate your nazi punishments in my school do you understand" Rachel said forcefully trying to scare Max as much as she possibly could.

Max just laughed aloud. "Your school, not for long Rachel and anyway it's the best way to get these pupils to obey the rules we have put down, teaches them about discipline, pupils like Michaela White have to be dealt with" Max said his voice getting angrier with every word.

"I will never let you take over this school, and I certainly will not let you touch another pupil one more time, I'm not going to go to the board with it simply because Michaela told me not to, but if I get anymore complaints that you have grabbed a child then I will have no choice, don't try me Max" Rachel threatened as she advanced on Max. He had now frozen in shock the smug look on his face gone completely.

"So have we come to an agreement" Rachel said hurrying back to her desk. Max just nodded not knowing how to respond to the threat. "Good" Rachel said simply as she pushed passed him and out of the office.

Max was stood on the same spot and listened as the door slammed shut. Once it did he let out a loud yell and slammed his hand down hard on the desk. _Now war had began with Rachel Mason._

* * *

**So Max has been outed and is wondering what will happen next, Michaela is taking the high road, and Lindsey is getting more and more crazy as the every minute ticks by, review if you liked guys next chapter soon**


	4. Heartache's & Hostages

Lindsey was walking into school Emily by her side. She hadn't listened to a word her sister had been saying, simply nodding and grunting as she went along with some story. For some reason her mind had wandered back to that eventful morning. _The knife, the blood, her dads cry of agony._ It was repeating in front of her eyes like a broken film clip repeating and repeating and repeating. She hadn't really thought about that for a while.

But she snapped quickly out of her trance as her eyes landed on Michaela who was messing around with Bolton and the gang. All of them were laughing and joking and for once Lindsey felt envious of the sixth former. She didn't have friends like that. She knew that Amy and Siobhan weren't really her friends, the only friend she truly had was Ros and she had gone because she couldn't put up with her behavior any longer.

Michaela turned and caught Lindsey's eye sending a smug look at her. She had wanted to frighten Michaela, to provoke her but now nothing was going according to plan. Michaela had sussed her out, discovered her plans, the fact that she was trying to get her thrown out of Waterloo Road for good. _Plan A was out of the question now, she knew she wouldn't get Michaela kicked out, so she had to go to Plan B. It had been rushing around her head constantly. She knew the only way to get Michaela away from her was to get rid of her. Permanently._

_How will I get her on her own, or shall I make a scene_ Lindsey thought as she carried on walking her eyes never leaving Michaela's._ I'll make a scene_ she thought laughing slightly.

"Lindsey why are you laughing" Emily asked innocently form her side. Lindsey blinked several times coming back into reality and looked down at her sister.

"It's nothing Em, go on get yourself to class, I'll see you later yeah" she said and she dropped down planting a kiss on Emily's head. Emily just smiled and skipped away over to Denzil who was waiting for her not far away. Lindsey just carried on her stride fast as she hurried into the building.

_What have I got first, Catering, Brilliant_ she thought a cruel smile flicking onto her face.

* * *

Michaela was sat in the common room her headphones in and flicking idly through a magazine. Something about Lindsey's look this morning wasn't right she thought as she threw the magazine down and sighed. _It was menacing like she was up to something_.

Bolton crept into the room quietly. Michaela still hadn't noticed him. Sneaking up behind her he put his hands over the top of the settee and pushed her lightly. Michaela jumped and her reflexes instantly sprung up. And the next thing Bolton knew he was sprawled out on the floor holding his jaw. Once Michaela had gotten her breath back she looked down at Bolton and gasped.

"You idiot" she scolded watching as he got back to his feet. He merely smiled and carried on laughing.

"Okay no need for the violence man jeez" he joked sitting down in the other leather armchair. He moved his jaw around a bit until it regained some more feeling.

"I'm sorry" Michaela finally apologized as she rubbed her hand gingerly. Bolton just shrugged his shoulders and laughed.

"Nah it's alright man" he grinned his trademark smile. _Michaela always thought she was made of stone, could withstand anything, but his smile made her knees melt_. "So" Bolton began changing the subject, "what's up, you look a bit distracted ini" he asked pulling his feet up onto the small table in front of them and putting his hands behind his head.

"What do you think?" Michaela said rolling her eyes at him. He could be so stupid and completely oblivious at times.

"Ahh I know now, why what she been doing" he asked casually stretching backwards tiredly.

"This morning right when we were all outside she give me this really creepy look, now I'm used to dirty looks, but there was something seriously wrong with her this morning I swear, she's up to something" Michaela said as she thought over the incident again. But nothing was making sense and she couldn't place what exactly was wrong.

"Just ignore her ini man, she ain't worth it at all, just making trouble" Bolton reassured knowing that the whole thing was troubling Michaela.

"I know that but Bolton, she's really pushing me too far now, I promised my mum and dad that I would do my A levels and stay out of trouble but she's making it really hard" Michaela grumbled crossing her arms tightly across her chest.

"You don't need to worry about that man, Miss Mason is on your side and if you've got her then trust me I know she will sort it like ini" Bolton said remembering the times that she had got him out of trouble. Michaela just shrugged her shoulders._ She really hoped she could._

Michaela was about to answer when the door to the sixth form common room opened and as if on cue Rachel Mason appeared.

"Hi Michaela, I was wondering if I could have a word" she asked and Michaela nodded back sending a small glance at Bolton and walking out of the common room Miss Mason behind her.

"What's Lindsey said now" Michaela muttered letting out a long sigh bracing herself for the next set of lies.

"It's not Lindsey, I've come to tell you that I've spoke to Mr Tyler" Rachel said coolly as she leaned against the window that Michaela was. Michaela tensed up slightly. "It's okay Michaela you don't need to worry about him, he will not bother you, I put him in his place and he looked genuinely scared of what I could say to the governing body of this school, he's not the only one who can throw threats about" Rachel said reassuring the girl. She noticed how Michaela had tensed up and the anxious expression plastered on her face.

"Thanks Miss, it means a lot, I've got Lindsey on my case I really didn't want him to be on it either" she answered back her eyes meeting Rachel's. _There was a look of genuine gratefulness there behind her big brown eyes_.

"Michaela it's my job to protect the students of this school, no matter what the cost" Rachel answered proudly. _She was proud of her school. Of her students. They had given her a second chance and she would give them as many chances they needed._

"I know that Miss" Michaela answered her voice at it's normal pitch.

"So any trouble from Lindsey, has she said anything, done anything" Rachel asked deciding to check if anything else had started.

"She hasn't really done anything today, but this morning when she walked past me, she gave me a weird look" Michaela said shrugging her shoulders.

"Could you define weird look Michaela" Rachel asked curiously. At least the two had not started world war three.

"Well she always gives me horrible looks, but this one, it was like she's got something planned, it's been bugging me all morning" Michaela answered truthfully knowing that she should tell Miss Mason every little thing that was happening.

"Okay well-" Rachel began but her sentence was cut short as Max appeared a few feet away. His eyes narrowed and scanned the two. Michaela noticing that someone was there spun around and stared at him trying to show him that she wasn't scared. After a few moments he turned his head and carried on walking to wherever he was heading.

"As I was saying" Rachel began turning her attention back to Michaela, "You need to let me know if anything happens okay, right I've got a meeting to go to so I'll check in later" Rachel smiled putting a gentle hand on Michaela's arm and squeezing gently. Michaela nodded her head and with that Rachel turned and disappeared around the corner.

* * *

Lindsey was sat in catering nearing the end of the lesson. _Now's your chance_ she screamed at herself and she got to her feet and walked over to Mrs Fry.

"Miss I was wondering if I could leave early, Mr Tyler wants to see me in two minutes" she asked sweetly knowing that Ruby wouldn't deny her, she was the star pupil.

"Of course Lindsey, why does he want to see you" she asked beaming at the class scholar, Lindsey grinned back.

"He's starting a fundraiser and wants me to be the face of it, you know show that John Fosters still has class" she said back and Ruby let out a chortled laugh.

"Of course you can then" Ruby confirmed and Lindsey slinked back to her seat. Grabbing her bag and coat she began to put her books into it. But unbeknown to the rest of the class in amongst the books was a small sharp blade that she had sneaked from the drawer to her left. And with one last smile she stepped out of the classroom.

_Okay free period now so I'll have to do it dinner time in the canteen, this is going to be a lot of fun_ she said inwardly as she strolled down the corridors and over towards the sixth formers common room.

* * *

The canteen was full with pupils each either having or getting their lunch. On one side of the canteen sat most of the Waterloo Road kids with the odd John fosters pupil who had made peace with them and on the other was the bunch from John Fosters. Michaela was sat with a few of her mates and she pushed her food aside her stomach now full. Scanning the dinner hall her eyes landed on Lindsey who was now getting to her feet her hands shoved deep in her pocket.

Michaela groaned as she saw Lindsey make a beeline for her and her table. The whole hall went quiet as everyone instantly knew that a fight would break out between the two.

Michaela watched Lindsey's every move as step by step she got closer and closer and closer and she got to her feet just as Lindsey got to her table. She noticed that the girls eyes were bloodshot and they were filled with menace.

"Look Lindsey I told you stay out of my way" Michaela growled angrily that she was still pursuing their feud.

"Well I didn't fell like it" Lindsey laughed her hands still deep in her pockets. A crowd had began to come around them and several phones were pulled out ready. But Lindsey didn't notice them, the only thing she was focused on at the moment was Michaela White.

"I'm telling you now if you-" Michaela began taking an aggressive step forward her hand pointing in Lindsey's face but the rest if her sentence was cut short as Lindsey ripped her hands out of her pockets and lunged towards her. She put her hands up to push Lindsey off when suddenly a white hot pain went down her side. Everything went slow in that instant and she could hear the muffled screams of people. She felt herself being spun around and could feel the sharp cold edge of the blade up against her neck. She wanted to fight back, to kick and hit Lindsey. But she was injured and powerless. Hot liquid slipped across the surface of her skin and she shivered.

"Come close and I'll slit her throat" Lindsey yelled as she moved the knife from her neck and around keeping the other pupils at bay. Everyone was still screaming and taking steps back. "Get out now before I gut you all" she yelled again and everyone instantly began to flee the canteen running and crying in horror.

Michaela could just about register being dragged along across the canteen the knife still firmly against her throat. Everything around her was blurry and pain ripped down her torso with every movement. The pain was so extreme she couldn't even scream.

* * *

Rachel was sat in her office when suddenly screams filled her ears and she could see flocks of pupils spilling out of the building screaming and crying. Instantly she jumped to her feet and raced out of her office and within seconds she was outside. Look around she quickly made a dash for Danielle and Aleesha.

"What's going on" she cried as she looked at the crying girls.

"Miss, it was Lindsey, she's she's a psycho" Danielle said in between breaths. Rachels heart skipped a beat.

"What, what's happened, what's going on" Rachel said again.

"Miss she stabbed Michaela, she went over to her and just stabbed her" Danielle said again her heart breaking for her friend. Rachel was frozen to the spot. Lindsey had stabbed Michaela. Her stomach dropped and she felt sick. I knew this would end up bad, why didn't i just kick Lindsey out she screamed at herself running a nervous hand through her hair.

"Where's Michaela, is she okay, girls where is she" she said her eyes scanning the field for the youngster. Her eyes caught a hold of some of the teachers who must have been informed and were ushering the kids back a bit.

"We don't know miss, Lindsey after she stabbed her she grabbed her and dragged her off somewhere and was threatening to slit her throat, Miss we have to do something" Danielle said her body going into shock. Before she could reply though Bolton was on her shoulder.

"Miss we have to help Michaela, everyone's saying she's been stabbed, Miss what we gonna do" Bolton said his voice laced with panic and concern. He had to shout over all the noise the kids were making.

* * *

Lindsey dragged Michaela into Miss Campbell's office and threw her roughly to the ground. Slowly she began to circle her like a vulture.

"Didn't see that coming did you" Lindsey laughed her eyes wide with adrenaline and madness. Michaela was laid flat on her front on the floor one arm wrapped tightly around the stab wound to her abdomen. Her hand and arm was covered in blood and her white shirt was stained a deep crimson. Slowly she lifted her head.

"Y-You, psycho" she choked out painfully as she mustered as much strength as possible to push herself up. She got up to her knees but as she tried to lift herself up again Lindsey fist came flying through the air and connected with her jaw sending her flying back down to the floor.

* * *

"Bolton No what are you doing" Rachel yelled as Bolton quickly turned and ran into the building. There were hundreds of loud gasps as they watched the boy sprint full pelt in through the doors. And before Rachel had even registered what she was doing she too was running into the school as well. She could hear the calls of teacher's telling her to come back but she ignored them.

* * *

"Psycho nah I don't think that words strong enough Michaela, come on I thought you would be good with your mouth you gobby cow" she said and with that she sent a soaring kick into Michaela's stomach. Michaela bit her lip to stop the cry coming from her voice. _She would not give Lindsey the satisfaction._ "Get on your knees" she said and gripped a fistful of Michaela's hair pulling the girl up so she was now on her knees her hands wrapped tightly around her stomach.

"You brought this on yourself" Lindsey snarled angrily as she circled the girl once more._ Maybe this will take you down a peg, permanently by the looks_ she laughed inwardly as she glared at the injured teenager.

* * *

**So Lindsey's started the tragic chain of events but what will happen next, review if you liked guys :D**


	5. Down & Out

Bolton peeked his head around into the canteen and found it completely deserted. Chairs were tipped over and food and trays covered the floor. He was about to take a step in when he could hear footsteps behind him. Spinning around he braced himself in case it was Lindsey but was relieved when Rachel skidded around the corner.

"Bolton what the hell do you think you're doing" she whispered angrily. Looking over his shoulder she looked into the deserted canteen. The place was a mess.

"Miss I aint gonna wait out there when Michaela is being held hostage by a psycho man, I can't do it" Bolton answered back spinning away from Miss Mason and into the canteen. Slowly he crept in Rachel right behind him. Rachel didn't know what to say. She cold see the fear in the boys eyes, the pain that he might lose someone very dear to him.

"But what are you going to achieve by getting yourself killed" she said as she took in the scene around her. It was as if a bomb had dropped on the place.

Bolton didn't even reply. His gaze was fixed on the blood spattered floor in front of him. The red liquid was scattered along the floor and he could see blood drops, and bloody footprints heading out of the door opposite.

"Oh my god" Rachel mouthed putting her hand over her mouth in shock. The thought of what state Michaela could be in at the moment made her nauseous.

Bolton quickened his pace and jumped over the blood hurrying through the door Rachel once again on his tail. "She's got to be around here somewhere" Bolton said as he stealthily maneuvered himself through the halls.

_There's so much blood_ Rachel thought as she hurried behind Bolton._ Please say she's okay, come on Michaela hold on for a bit longer._

Bolton was looking into every classroom his heart in his mouth. Everyone he looked in he imagined seeing Michaela lying the dead and Lindsey towering above her maniacally. He shuddered at the thought. _I hope you're fighting back Michaela, don't just give up._

The pupils were still outside everyone stood huddled together in shock. No one could believe what had happened. They knew the feud between Michaela and Lindsey was strong but for Lindsey to resort to murder was just to much to take in.

"Guys what's going on everyone's saying that Michaela's been stabbed" Sambuca said running over to Lauren and the other's. All of them nodded grimly still in shock themselves.

"Who's in the building" Mr Mead asked Tom as the teacher's finished doing the register.

"Well Michaela White And Lindsey James, and Bolton Smilie and Rachel run in to see if they could help Michaela" Tom answered not liking the thought of what had happened. He had got enough details off the pupils to paint him a very vivid and clear picture.

"Okay right the police are on their way as is an ambulance, how long have they been there" Chris asked again trying to get as much information as possible. He was thankful that Max was not in the school to see this. He would be no help what so ever.

"From what I've been told Michaela was stabbed about ten minutes ago, Rachel and Bolton run in about five minutes afterwards" Tom repeated rubbing his hands across his head nervously.

"I should have done more to help, I should have seen that it was Lindsey causing all the trouble and not Michaela" Kim groaned as she sat on the steps outside the school Steph at her side.

"Kim you can't blame yourself, you couldn't have predicted that something like this was going to happen" Steph answered trying to calm her friend down.

"It's my job to spot things like this Steph" Kim replied feeling responsible for this whole mess.

* * *

Michaela was laid on her side now blood covering her face from where Lindsey had repeatedly kicked and punched her. Everything was dizzy and she could taste the sickly taste of copper in her mouth. _Come on Michaela fight back_ she screamed at herself as once more she tried to push herself up.

"Not so big now are you" Lindsey spat kneeling down next to Michaela and gripping her hair roughly pulling her head up. Michaela's eyes were rolling around their sockets dizzily. "Not long now Michaela" she whispered and dropped the girl again. Michaela began trying to steel herself ready to fight back, _I'm not going down without a fight_ she thought to herself as she gripped onto the side of the table and used all the strength she had to pull herself onto her knees and rested weakly against the wall. Al the blood was making her feel sick.

"Don't you think" Michaela choked pain racking her body, "Don't you think that this is a bit extreme Linds, I, W-what did I do to deserve this" Michaela asked wanting to know exactly what had gone wrong along the way.

"Extreme nah you don't know what extreme is, you don't have a clue, you're thick, a thug, and you needed to be taught a lesson" Lindsey yelled right into Michaela's face. She didn't even flinch. _She knew that is what would be said._

"If it makes things, if it makes it any better, then I'm sorry" Michaela said her voice hoarse and raspy. She knew it was a long shot, and it killed her to even say those words when she knew she wasn't in the wrong.

"Hah" Lindsey laughed dropping down next to Michaela and pressing the knife to her throat hard again. "Typical, saying sorry when you're being held hostage with a knife at your throat" she said her face inches from Michaela's. Michaela at that moment wanted to head butt Lindsey, to get in a quick shot but she knew that the moment she did that then she would definitely be dead.

"What goes on inside that head of yours" Michaela growled not understanding how someone could think and act in the calculating way that Lindsey did. Lindsey raised the knife and pressed it against Michaela's cheek and in one swift movement a long deep slice skated across Michaela's face. She pulled her head away quickly and pressed her hands firmly over the cut to try and stem the bleeding. _It was unsuccessful._

"Nothing you could begin to understand" she said pulling up a chair and sitting on it front of Michaela. Michaela wasn't really listening she was trying to think of how she would get away from Lindsey and to the door. She knew it was most probably impossible but she'd rather give it a try then lie here and die slowly.

Blank spots starting coming into her vision and she tried to blink them away rapidly. The blood on her face was starting to get dry but the blood from the stab wound was still wet and it was still bleeding. The pain was unbearable.

Lindsey was about to speak when suddenly Bolton and Rachel appeared in the window.

"Michaela" he yelled running to the door and trying to open but found it locked. Lindsey instantly jumped to her feet and grabbed Michaela throwing her in front of herself like a human shield. The knife was now directly above her heart.

"Don't you dare try and come in, I'm telling you I'll just finish her off quicker" she yelled as she stared at the two people on the other side of the glass.

Rachel took in Michaela's appearance and gasped. She had never seen so much blood on one person. Michaela was red head to toe.

"Lindsey come on, you don't have to do this" Rachel said trying to use her communication skills to reason with the deranged youngster. She wanted to run in there, to get Michaela and go but she knew that was not possible.

"You really believe that don't you" she barked her grip on Michaela tightening. Michaela could feel herself slipping in and out of consciousness the only thing that made her stay awake was Lindsey's cruel tone ringing in her ears. _I have to find a way to get out_ she thought looking at the door, and then up at Bolton. His eyes were filled with fright as he stared at her.

"Please Lindsey, just let me go" Michaela said turning her head a little towards Lindsey. Lindsey just laughed at the comment completely blanking her.

"Lindsey look, what are you going to do, think about Emily" Rachel cried as she pressed her hands against the glass trying to get closer.

"Don't you dare say her name, don't you dare" she yelled as she pressed the knife hard against Michaela's chest. Sirens blared in the background and Lindsey's eyes shot up and suddenly she had became alert.

"Lindsey, think about her though" Michaela began trying to see if she could distract Lindsey long enough to try and get free of her grip. Her eyes met with Bolton's and she moved her head over so slightly. The look of horror on his face told her that he knew what she was going to do. "She's got no one if you get sent to jail, your dads dead after you murdered him, y-your mum is in prison accused of h-his murder, your family don't want nothing to do with you, and when your gone little Emily will be all alone" she provoked knowing that any second she could either be dead, or outside with Bolton and Rachel.

And Lindsey reacted the way that Michaela hoped she would. Her temper flared and she threw Michaela into the wall lunging at her with the knife. Michaela spun out of the way the adrenaline pulsating through her. She punched Lindsey hard across the face and then into the stomach. Lindsey swung her hand around with the knife and Michaela jumped backwards out of the way but not far enough and the tip of the blade sliced across her abdomen.

"Ahh" she cried out in pain falling backwards against the wall. Bolton ran to the door and began kicking it. The door was budging ever so slowly. "Come on" he yelled as he kicked the door hard. Rachel was next to him her heart racing as she watched Michaela fight back.

Lindsey went forward again and smashed her hand across Michaela's face. Michaela reeled back in shock pain overcoming her already injured body. She turned around ready to attack Lindsey again but before she even had the chance to throw her arm out another piercing pain went through her.

"NO" Rachel and Bolton yelled as they watched the colour drain from Michaela's face. Lindsey was stood there like a statue holding the knife still in Michaela's stomach. Michaela tried to say something, but all she got was a choked gurgle.

Michaela sucked in a breath and reached her hand put and grabbed the paper weight off the desk next to her and slammed it across Lindsey's head. Lindsey fell straight to the floor blood instantly coming from her head. Michaela looked down at her stomach and saw the knife sticking out of it. Shakily she gripped a hold of the end and pulled it from her stomach. More pain seared through her body and she dropped the knife to the floor.

Everything was fading in and out and she heard a loud smash as the door finally splintered to pieces and Rachel and Bolton ran in. Her legs collapsed from under her and just as she was about to hit the floor Bolton managed to catch her. He cradled her into his lap holding her tightly.

"Michaela, Michaela babe can you hear me" he cried as he shook her gently. The sound of his voice was muffled but she could make out the words.

"Bol, Bolton" she stuttered quietly. Over his shoulder she could vaguel make out another shape.

"Michaela can you hear me" Rachel said falling to her knees next to the two and she ran a hand through Michaela's short hair. Michaela tried to speak but found it impossible as her throat became clogged with the coppery blood.

"Come on babe stay with me yeah, come on Mick's stay with me please" Bolton pleaded on the verge of tears.

"So co-cold, Bolton, I, I'm sorry" she choked looking up at her ex. Bolton hugged her tighter to his body. A stray tear fell down his face. Michaela weakly lifted her hand and wiped it away. "And you Miss, I've caused, so, so much trouble, I nev, I never meant to" Michaela apologized knowing that these moments could be her last.

"Hey you don't have to apologize, you're gonna be okay, Bolton we need to get her outside so the paramedics can take her to the hospital" Rachel said her voice filled with panic.

"I'm really sorry" Michaela stammered and suddenly her eyes fluttered shut and her head lolled to the side. Bolton felt her go limp in his arms.

"No Michaela, no not now come on babe, come on open your eyes" he pleaded practically shouting at her. He jumped to his feet Michaela securely in his arms. Her head was hanging off the end of his arm and her arms and legs were limp. Her chest had stopped rising and falling and this just made him increase speed as he and Miss Mason bolted out of the room towards the exit. When he got out there, he knew that people would see that she was not still alive. They hopped over the strewn chairs of the canteen and out through the doors.

Loud gasps came from the crowd of pupils as they watched the blood soaked girl get carried out. Several hands went up to their mouths.

"We need an ambulance man, please she's not breathing, get her to breathe please" Bolton yelled towards the paramedics. They flew over with the gurney and he put her down on it gently. Rachel had gone back into the building the police on her tail as she led them to where Lindsey was.

In a heartbeat Michaela was whisked away towards the ambulance and Bolton was straight by her side. He watched as the paramedics pulled out a pair of defibrillators and pressed them to Michaela's lifeless body. He jumped as a shock went through her body.

The kids had all turned to watch most of them crying in shock. Several of the younger kids were being sick to the side. They all watched as Michaela's body was pumped with electricity trying to restart her heart. Everytime a shock went through her they all winced as if it had gone through them to.

"Come on babe please" Bolton said as the tears continued to flow down his face. He didn't care that everyone could see him crying. He only cared about the girl on the stretcher before him. And as he said this a small gasp escaped her lips and her chest began rising and falling once more, but she fell straight back into unconsciousness.

"Good girl, that's my girl" Bolton said as they began to quickly load Michaela up into the ambulance. Looking over his shoulder a feral snarl escaped his lips as Lindsey was led out in handcuffs blood covering her face. Her whole face was void of any emotion. She didn't look guilty, she didn't look fazed. She was just empty, a shell of the person she once was.

Rachel ran out of the building and over to where Bolton was letting out a breath if relief as she watched Michaela breathe. "Right come on we're going with her to the hospital" Rachel said as she climbed in Bolton jumping in next to her. The doors slammed shut behind them and the ambulance peeled out of the school. Everyone just watched in a stunned silence.

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**So will she survive or will Lindsey get what she wanted, you'll have to review and continue reading to find out :D, review if you liked guys**


	6. Scarred & Scared

Rachel was sat in the waiting room a cold cup of coffee in her hands. She couldn't drink it, she couldn't really do anything. She had been trying to contact Michaela's parents but stopped when Bolton informed her that the two were away on holiday and Michaela had been living on her own for the last week.

Bolton was sat to her left his head in his hands. He was still covered in Michaela's blood and he shuddered every time he looked at himself. _I can't believe it, I should have got in there faster, I should have been there with here in the canteen instead of in the school gym_ he yelled mentally rubbing his hands across the top of hid head.

"What's happening man, she's been in there ages now" Bolton asked lifting his head and turning to face Miss Mason. She just shook her head not having the foggiest as what to say back.

"They're just making sure she's okay Bolton" Rachel cooed putting a supportive hand on his hard shoulder. He just dropped his head back into his hands and sighed.

"But she's been in there now for almost an hour, surely if she was okay she'd have been out earlier ini" Bolton said his words muffled by his hands.

"Bolton, you know Michaela, she's a strong girl and if there's one thing I've learnt about Michaela White since I've been at this school is that she is a survivor, she was hurt in that room, but did she give up without a fight, no she didn't, and she certainly is not going to now" Rachel answered not knowing if she was trying to convince herself or Bolton. He just shrugged his shoulders.

The two were sat there for how long they didn't know. Time didn't even exist at the moment. Suddenly a tall man in a white coat appeared in front of them.

"Rachel Mason" he asked and Rachel nodded and jumped to her feet quickly Bolton mimicking her movements. The doctor nodded at her and opened his clipboard quickly.

"Miss Mason I'm Doctor Shepard, I was the one operating on Miss White" he began introducing himself but Rachel didn't have time for this and cut across him.

"Is she okay" she asked hurriedly her heart pounding against her chest so hard that she thought it would burst from her chest.

"Michaela has been stabilized, she had some severe internal bleed but we have managed to keep it under control for now" he said slowly. Rachel and Bolton left out the breaths they didn't even know they had been holding. "She has a punctured lung and two broken ribs one dislocated rib, bruises and lacerations to legs arms and face, she had to have 17 stitches to the wound on her face and has a broken cheekbone" he said again letting the two know exactly what was wrong.

Rachel shuddered at the thought of the damage and the amount of pain that Michaela must have been in.

"Can we see her" Bolton said impatiently wanting to see for himself that she was alive, that she was still breathing.

"Yes I'll take you to her, but I will warn you she looks a lot worse then she is, when I left to inform you she was starting to wake up so I want you to not bombard her with questions because she needs to rest okay" he ordered as they made their way through the hallways of the hospital.

Rachel and Bolton nodded and the walk to Michaela's room seemed to go on forever. Finally they came to a standstill outside one of the rooms. The doctor pushed the door open and held it for them to walk in before stalking off away from the place.

The two took careful steps into the room quietly. They both let out loud gasps of horror as they stared at the youngster on the bed. Bandages were wrapped heavily around her head and one of her eye's were swollen. A large gauze bandage was on her cheek hiding the slice from view. Both her hands also had white bandages around them. Her lip was swollen and split wide open and on the right cheek an angry black and blue and yellow bruise skirted across it completely.

"Oh Michaela" Rachel sighed as she ushered around to the other side of the bed and sitting on the chair next to her. Carefully she took one of Michaela's injured hands in her own.

"Michaela can you hear me" Bolton whispered as he sat on the other chair. Michaela's face twitched slightly and her head slowly turned to face Bolton. He watched in awe as one of her brown eyes came into site as she cracked it open slightly.

"Bolton" she said her voice a hoarse whisper. Bolton smiled in relief as her voice filtered into his ears. The sound made his heart flutter wildly and his mind went into overdrive.

"Yeah it's me babe" he said smiling happily as he brushed a soft hand across her head trying not to put any weight on it as he was afraid it would hurt her.

"Miss is that you" she then whispered once more slowly turning her head the other way. She had heard their voices when they walked into the room and was grateful that those two had come. She wouldn't have wanted anyone else to be here, to see her weak.

"Yeah it's me Michaela, how are you feeling" Rachel asked Michaela's hand still in her own. The teenager gazed at her teacher and she winced in pain slightly.

"It hurts, hurts like hell, but at least I'm alive" she muttered grateful that there was pain. It showed her that she was still alive and still human. Not like when she died for those few minutes. Everything had gone numb and it was dark. She could see a dim light but couldn't reach it then suddenly she was ripped back into reality.

"Yeah you are, you are" Bolton answered as he placed a soft kiss on her head.

"And it's thanks to you two, if you hadn't come when you did, then she would have killed me" Michaela muttered groggily her voice slurred by the drugs that were being pumped into her through the IV.

"Us, it was you who gave her a good fight, and knocked her out, we were just there to get you out once it was over" Rachel laughed at her graciousness. Michaela must have bumped her head because Michaela White was not gracious.

"Ahh whatever" she answered back with a small wave of her hand. "What about Lindsey" Michaela spat the name as if it was burning her mouth.

"She's been arrested, she can't hurt you again" Bolton answered a smile playing at his lips.

"I know that' Michaela muttered groggily as her mind wandered back to the demented girl.

"Bolton why don't you go home and get some rest yeah, your mother's been ringing and she want you home, I'll stay with Michaela for a bit" Rachel said quietly. _Bolton didn't want to move. He didn't want to leave her side again. But he knew she was in safe hands with Mason there._

"You sure Miss, I'll stay I want to stay" he asked hoping that she may let him stay there but he knew she would not.

"You're no use for her if you're dead on your feet now are you, go home have food, have a shower and come back in the morning okay" Rachel said softly putting her hand on Bolton's shoulder.

Bolton nodded his head and placed a small kiss on Michaela's head before turning and heading off out of the hospital room.

"So what's the damage then miss" Michaela croaked weakly looking into her headmistress's eyes. Rachel just sighed lightly.

"You had some internal bleeding but they've sorted that now, you've got two broken ribs, one dislocated rib a punctured lung a broken cheekbone and several cuts and bruises to your body but the doctors say you should make a good recovery" Rachel said softly smiling at the last sentence. She knew Michaela White and she knew for definite that if this girl couldn't overcome this then no one would be able to.

"Is that all she did" Michaela said sarcastically and Rachel chuckled lightly at the comment.

"I'd count yourself lucky" Rachel simply replied taking Michaela's tanned hand in her own and squeezing it gently. But Rachel knew it was just a mask. She was hiding behind the façade that she wasn't affected by it all when deep down Rachel knew the girl was emotionally hurting.

She got a small smile from the youngster before it was immediately replaced by a wince of pain. "You okay" Rachel asked worriedly as she took in the girls pained expression. Michaela nodded her head.

"Yeah, didn't realize how sore my face is" she mumbled trying to ease the throb of her head.

"I can get a doctor for you if you want" Rachel said worriedly getting to her feet and about to head towards the door when Michaela's hand clamped around her's tightly and stopped her from moving.

"Don't go, please I don't wanna be here alone" Michaela said her voice quivering slightly and her brown eyes suddenly filling with fear. Rachel's heart stopped at the look on her face. _It was one of pure terror._

"Okay, I'll stay here with you" Rachel said softly sitting down once more and stroking the back of the girls hand with her thumb reassuringly. The two were sat in silence for what seemed like hours until Michaela finally broke through it,

"I'm sorry, I feel like an idiot, you can go if you want" Michaela said quietly not looking at Miss Mason's face. Rachel smiled to herself and shook her head softly.

"Michaela" she said and Michaela turned her head to look at her headmistress, "I'm not going anywhere, and it's okay to be scared, don't be ashamed of that, what you've been through is so traumatic okay" Rachel reassured her voice gentle with each word._ She wanted to do anything she could to take away the fear from this girl._

Michaela nodded and took in a deep breath, "I know she can't get to me, but I, it's just, I don't know what to do" Michaela said her voice breaking and finally a lonely tear escaped from her eyes and slipped down her face. Rachel lifted a hand and wiped the tear away carefully as to not hurt the girl.

"It's okay Michaela, I'm gonna help you okay, I promise you that" she said trying to hold back her own tears as she watched the traumatized girl break down in front of her. _I will help you_ she thought to herself as she clutched the girl's hand tighter than before.

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**So another chapter up, sorry about the wait people lost my inspiration but now that Waterloo Road is back on Voila I have it back XD Review if you liked guys**


	7. Fear & Failures

Michaela was lying in the hospital bed her eyes wide open. She wouldn't be able to sleep again after the dream she had just had. _Images flashed through her head, the blood and her screams, she could feel the pain she had felt the time she was really stabbed and could see chaos all around, Lindsey's eyes filled with menace, Rachel and Bolton's dead bodies lying not ten feet from her._

She shook her head clear of the disturbing images and sucked in a deep breath trying to compose herself. Looking down at her bed she could see the outline of a female figure head and arms rested on the side. This made Michaela feel a lot safer knowing that Miss Mason was there next to her. _Just like she had promised_.

She didn't know what time it was but finally sun had started to filter through the gaps in the blinds. It was a relief to see light, erasing the fear that Lindsey would get her, and everything would be dark, and next time she would be dead.

Rachel stirred slightly and raised her head slowly to look at the fully awakened girl in front of her. She rolled the stiffness out of her neck slowly and stretched her arms high above her head. "Hey how are you feeling this morning" she asked groggily wiping the sleep from her eyes.

Michaela nodded at her. "Okay I guess Miss, tired and feeling really weak but there we are" Michaela shrugged gently trying not to disturb any of her throbbing wounds.

"You'll feel better in no time" Rachel cooed caringly as she stroked the girls hand. _But will she _Rachel thought to herself not knowing whether she was reassuring Michaela or herself. A long and comfortable silence fell upon them and after pondering over that thought for god knows how long a smile came to Rachel's face. _This was Michaela White, of course she'll be fine _Rachel said to herself and she lifted her head to look at the teenager but noticed that she was fast asleep.

Rachel stared at the girl for a few minutes her mind whirring over how much pain she must have been in when Lindsey had attacked her. _She vividly remembered the look of pain on Michaela's face as she was stabbed the second time, it replayed in slow motion everytime she shut her eyes. She could remember the look of desperation on Bolton's face as she went limp in his arms._

Sighing she shook those thoughts from her head and slowly got up to get a coffee from the machine in the cafeteria when suddenly the door opened and in walked Kim Campbell.

Rachel watched as Kim's face completely dropped and a horrified expression appeared on her dark face as she studied the girl's injuries. It was as if she was stuck to the floor and her gaze was frozen on the unconscious teen.

"Hey Kim" Rachel said and Kim's gaze was finally ripped away from the girl and she looked at Rachel.

"Hi Rach, how she doing" Kim asked quietly her eyes flicking back to the youngster in the bed.

"Been better" Rachel began and she took a few steps closer to her friend. "It's gonna take time, she's pretty weak at the moment" Rachel said softly looking at the stunned woman's face. Kim didn't reply she merely shook her head in disbelief at what had happened.

"Come on, let's get a coffee" Rachel said softly and she grabbed Kim's arm ushering her out of the room swiftly.

* * *

"I should have seen this coming Rachel" Kim said angrily at herself as she squeezed the cup in her hand tightly.

"Kim, there is no way you could have seen this happening" Rachel cooed as she looked at her visibly upset colleague.

"It's my job to see stuff like this, to see the signs" Kim said again her voice lower but angrier at the same time. _She couldn't believe she hadn't done anything sooner._

"Kim it's not that you couldn't see the signs, it's just that you weren't looking for them, we weren't looking for them, I didn't even think that Lindsey James of all people would bring a knife to school and stab Michaela" Rachel said again trying to reassure her friend as she put her hand on top of Kim's and squeezed gently.

"I don't think I can do this job Rachel, these kids parents rely on me to look after their kids welfare when their in school, and I've let them down, I think I'm going to step down as head of pastrol care, I'm not cut out enough to help these kids" Kim said dejectedly as she dropped her head onto her chest in defeat.

"Don't say that Kim, you are the best head of Pastrol care this school has ever had, and right now these kids need you, more then they ever have, and if someone took your place well they wouldn't be able to relate to them now, not like you can, Kim you can do this, please don't blame yourself for what happened" Rachel said trying to convince her friend to stay as the head of pastrol care. _Because what she was saying was the truth. The school did need her now. More than ever._

"I've been fooled twice by the kids this term, one false rape and another false attack, and look because of my mistake someone has been stabbed and is fighting for their life" Kim said again her voice harder. She hadn't slept all night, she couldn't sleep. The guilt she felt over what had happened was consuming her. Even though she wasn't the one who stabbed Michaela, she felt like she had basically handed the knife to Lindsey, she should have stopped her sooner.

"This is not your fault Kim okay, the only person to blame is a very unstable girl, do you understand that" Rachel said her voice firmer at the woman in front of her.

Kim just sighed and nodded her head at Rachel who was looking at her intently.

The two were sat in silence for how long neither knew when Rachel decided to break the silence.

"I'm going back to see Michaela, do you wanna come" Rachel asked as she got to her feet finishing the dregs of her coffee. Kim nodded and put her cup down before standing and following Rachel.

But as they neared Michaela's room they heard a blood curdling scream. Suddenly doctor's were flying past them into Michaela's room. Rachel's heart quickened and she sprinted into the room but froze in shock at the sight.

Michaela was twisting and turning on the bed screaming crying hysterically. _"She's gonna kill me, don't let her get to me again, please". _She was ripping the wires out of her skin roughly and two male doctors gripped her firmly and pinned her down to the bed as they tried to restrain her and calm her down. The monitor next to her was beeping wildly as her heart rate began to soar as her panic overcame her.

Kim's hand shot to her mouth in shock and she looked like she was going to be sick. Silent tears slipped down Rachel's face as she watched the girl continue to scream and thrash in fear, and she could see one of the doctors walking forward a syringe in her hand.

"Miss please don't let her get me, you promised she wouldn't get me, please help" Michaela screamed wildly towards Miss Mason who ran forward towards the bed pushing her way past the doctors and taking a hold of Michaela's hand and squeezing tightly. Michaela wrenched her arm from the other doctors grip and threw it around Rachel clutching to her for dear life her body shaking in horror.

"Shh it's okay Michaela I'm here, I won't let her get to you" Rachel cooed as she rubbed the girls back soothingly.

"She's gonna get me, please stop her, i don't want to die" she cried her body shaking with sobs as she crushed Rachel in a bear hug grip. Rachel could hear the steadying of the monitor behind her.

"You're not gonna die Michaela okay" Rachel soothed again and with that she watched as the nurse stuck the syringe into Michaela's arm slowly emptying the contents into her veins.

"She wants to hur me, she want me dead, M-miss" Michaela slurred as the sedatives began to take effect on her system.

"She won't hurt you Michaela I'm not going to let her I promise you she won't hurt you again" Rachel swore as she held the girl tightly to her. She could feel Michaela begin to relax in her arms as the sedatives took over.

"Please, s-top er, I don want to die" Michaela said as the sedatives completely consumed her and she went limp in Rachel's arms. The monitor had completely evened out as the beeping fell back into it's steady rhythm.

Rachel slowly laid her back down on the bed and tucked the quilts around her tightly. She sucked in a breath and wiped the tears off of her face. Her hands shook in fear in front of her and she rubbed them on her trouser's.

"How long will she be out for now nurse" Rachel asked turning to the nurse who was on the other side of the bed placing the wires back in to where they were.

"About a few hours" the nurse said as she lifted the oxygen mask and stuck it over Michaela's face before leaving the room.

Rachel turned her head and looked at Kim who had paled severely. "Kim are you okay" Rachel asked as she got up off the bed and sat in the chair next to it rubbing her eyes wearily.

Kim just nodded. "Yeah, just never seen that before, never seen a kid so frightened, never seen Michaela White so, so" Kim began but Rachel cut across her.

"Vulnerable" Rachel said and Kim nodded. She walked over to where Rachel was sat and dropped into the chair next to her. She rubbed her face tiredly not being able to shake the image of a terrified Michaela from her head.

"This is why these kids need you Kim, Michaela's gonna need you through her recovery, she needs someone who understands her, that's us, I really will need your help to get her back to how she was, so please reconsider on stepping down as head of pastrol care" Rachel practically begged as more tears pricked at her eyes.

Kim nodded and sniffed before her eyes met with Rachel's. "I'll do everything I can for her Rach, I promise" Kim said as she leaned back in the chair and looked over at the sedated teenager. _I promise _she said to herself as she shut her eyes slowly.

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**So next chapter is up peeps! Hope you are all enjoying guys and if you are then please review XD**


	8. Hospitals & Horrors

Rachel rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and a loud yawn escaped her lips as she awakened from her slumber. Shaking the grogginess away she looked around to see Kim, fast asleep in the chair next to her. Turning her head to the otherside she noticed that Michaela was still under sedation. Her stomach dropped as she remembered what had happened a few hours earlier. This thought sent a cold shiver down her spine.

In the corner of her eye she could see Kim starting to awaken as well and within the minute Kim was stretching and rolling the ache out of her neck.

"Hey, you okay" Rachel asked her colleague as the woman's eyes drifted to Michaela. Kim just nodded not looking away from the youngster.

"Yeah just a little bit disturbed from earlier, god when I was asleep I kept seeing it" Kim groaned rubbing her eyes sleepily. Rachel just shrugged at the woman.

"I know what you mean" Rachel sighed and bit her lip slowly. "Kim I'm going to be here for a while, do you think you'd be able to go and see how long the investigation into Michaela's attack is going to be, and how long the clean up will take so I can give an estimation of when the school will be opened again" Rachel asked softly.

Kim nodded and got to her feet. "Sure, I'll ring you when I've checked everything out" she said quietly and headed towards the door before turning around and looking at Michaela. "When she wakes up, give her my love" and with one last look at Rachel who merely nodded she left the dim hospital room.

Not five minutes after Kim had left the door was opening again and in strolled Bolton out of his school clothes and looking fresher then he did the day before.

"How she been since I went Miss" was the first thing Bolton said as he sat down next to Michaela taking her hand once more.

"Not to good Bolton, she had a bit of an episode" Rachel answered knowing there was no point lying to him, he was going to find out eventually.

"What do you mean by an episode Miss" Bolton replied not having an idea about what she was talking.

"I left the room for a few minutes to get a coffee and she must have had a nightmare, she woke up screaming and crying and when I got back in here the doctors had to sedate her" she said softly knowing it would be hard for him to take in.

Bolton merely nodded his head a little and gulped. _Michaela, being sedated._

"I know I should have stayed with her man, I shouldn't have gone home" he said his voice hard and filled with anger at himself. _I should have been here to protect her, to keep those nightmares away from her._

"Bolton it would have happened anyway, she's clearly traumatized you know that" Rachel said her voice low and gentle as she tried to reassure the torn boy.

"It might not have though ini, maybe me being here would have made her feel safe" Bolton said back the bitterness in his voice gradually fading.

"Don't blame yourself Bolton, it's not your fault, none of this is your fault" she said to him and he just nodded his head before dropping it onto the bed.

A long silence fell over them and it was only broken when the youngster on the bed slowly began to stir. Rachel and Bolton both leaned over her as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Miss" she spoke her voice croaked and groggy as her eyes made contact with the headmistress above her. Rachel smiled and brushed her hand gently over the teenager's head.

"Yeah I'm here, Bolton could you go and get a nurse for me please" Rachel asked kindly and Bolton raced from the room searching for Michaela's doctor.

"You feeling okay, I'm sorry I left the room Michaela, I told you I wouldn't leave you but I did" Rachel said guiltily her head dropping in shame.

"It's okay, don't worry about it" she said back quietly her hand finding Rachel's and squeezing it lightly. "Is my mum here yet" she asked her eyes boring into Rachel's.

Rachel shook her head. "Not yet Michaela but your mum and dad should be here soon" she said back a small smile on her face. But when Rachel said this Michaela's face instantly dropped and she looked to the side.

"My mum will be here, my dad won't" she said her voice suddenly angry as her gaze towards the window intensified Rachel was about to open her mouth to answer when the doors opened and Bolton entered with a doctor in tow.

"Ahh Miss White how are you feeling" the doctor said in his silky smooth voice. He flipped the chart in his hands as he read her vitals.

"Sore" she answered quietly her eyes moving towards the handsome doctor who stood at the foot of her bed.

"I'm not surprised" he said gently as he checked the chart on her bed. "Okay well a nurse will be in soon to change your bandages other than that everything seems to be okay" he smiled and Michaela sent him a false one back. "If there's anything you need please come find me or press that button on your left" he said softly and with that he stalked out of the room his long strides carrying him at some speed.

Rachel was about to ask her once more about what she was talking about when the youngster looked at her, a look of pleading filling her dark eyes telling her to drop the subject. And Rachel did. For Now.

"Told you I'd be back" Bolton grinned cutting through the tense silence. Michaela looked at him and smiled.

"I knew you would be back" she answered looking into his brown eyes. He didn't know how much it actually meant to Michaela that he was there. If there was two people she needed the most right now it was Rachel and him. "At least you don't smell now" she laughed her voice hoarse. Bolton just rolled his eyes.

Behind them the door opened and in walked two uniformed police officers and one non uniformed officer. Michaela's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't expected them to come so soon, and she wasn't sure if she was really ready to talk about what had happened.

Her hand instinctively tightened around Rachel and Bolton's and she wished that the bed would just swallow her whole.

"Michaela White" the non uniformed officer said as he stopped at the foot of the bed. She nodded her head.

"I'm DCI Davies, I've come to ask you about what happened yesterday" the man said gently as he neared the bed. Grabbing a chair from the otherside of the room he pulled it towards the bed and sat down pulling out his notepad and pen.

"Look I don't think she's up to it at the moment, she's only just come around" Rachel said sensing the girls obvious discomfort.

"I'm sorry but we have to do his now" the officer said his voice genuinely sorry. Michaela just nodded. "Take your time Miss White".

* * *

"I can remember she walked over to me in the cafeteria, next thing I knew I was covered in blood and in agony" she said her voice quivering as the images flashed behind her eyelids as she spoke. She never once left go of the Rachel and Bolton's hands in the last half an hour of speaking. She was telling the story from top to bottom. From their first fight all the way to their last.

"She started screaming and grabbed me tightly and then dragged me out of the room and into one of the classrooms, I was blacking out every few minutes so I can't be sure how long i was in there for. But she kept on cutting me and hitting me, until these two showed up and tried to get in the room" she said looking from Bolton to Rachel.

"I thought I was going to die anyway so I decided I may as well try and get out before I do, so I started fighting with her, but she got the upper hand and stabbed me again" Michaela said her eyes filled with tears. "Everything felt like it was going in slow motion, but I wasn't going to give up, so I grabbed the big paper weight that was on the table next to me and smashed it across her head. It knocked her out and I can remember hitting the ground and everything just went black" Michaela finished trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.

The DCI jotted all this down before shutting the pad and putting it in his pocket. Standing up he looked over at the distraught teenager. "Thank you, you're very brave Miss White, speaking about all this has built you a very strong case against Miss James" he said softly looking at the three in front of him.

Michaela nodded and the DCI turned and left leaving a somber silence lingering in the room.

"I know how hard that was for you Michaela, but it had to be done" Rachel cooed giving the girls hand a light squeeze. Michaela blinked away the tears that were on the brink of falling not wanting to look more vulnerable than she already was.

"I know" she said her voice breaking slightly. Bolton just placed a soft kiss on her head.

"She's gonna go down now yeah, just keep thinking about that babe, she can't hurt you or anyone anymore" Bolton reassured trying to keep the girl as calm as she could. She just nodded. Bolton looked at his watch and a frown fell upon his face.

"I'm so sorry Michaela, but I gotta go, my mum's waiting outside" Bolton said his voice filled with disappointment.

"It's okay Bolton, I'm not on my own" she smiled at him touched by his distress at leaving her. He just smiled slightly and pressed a gentle kiss to her uninjured cheek and hurried out of the room.

Rachel looked down at the girl who looked as if she was about to speak. "Miss about what I said earlier, thank you for not bringing it up while Bolton was here, I don't want him to know about anything" Michaela said her voice low.

"There was nothing for me to bring up Michaela, but something is obviously troubling you about it so why don't you tell me" Rachel said softly leaning her elbows onto the bed.

Michaela nodded knowing that it was best if she finally got it off her chest. "Everyone knows my dad and my brother were in the army" she began but by the look on Rachel's face she obviously didn't. "Well my brother's left the army now, he came back traumatized but my dad thought he was weak and disowned him" Michaela continued her hand twitching nervously. "That was around two years ago and he still hasn't forgiven him, but that was when my dad started acting different" she said her voice lingering on the word.

"How was he different Michaela" Rachel asked her softly. She could tell the girl was struggling to find the words.

"He was a lot more angrier, and he was drunk nearly all of the time" she began slowly. "One day I came home from school and I found my mother out cold on the floor, my dad had beaten her up" she said her voice breaking as more tears pricked at her eyes.

Rachel's eyes widened in shock. _She wasn't expecting that._ Then she had a sick feeling in her stomach as Michaela continued.

"I started shouting at him and then he went for me" she continued her voice cracking even more. "I was barely fifteen and I can remember lying on the floor next to my mother in so much pain" she said a lone tear falling down her face.

Rachel's face paled. _How didn't I notice it_. Then it clicked, and she remembered the many times Michaela walked into school covered in cuts and bruises, but she had always been told that it was from fighting from some kids. But now she knew that was lie.

"It became a weekly basis, he would go for my mother and I just couldn't stand back and watch, so I provoked him to go for me instead of her, my mother was too weak to ever stop him, but I don't blame her, she was just scared" Michaela said as another tear fell down her face.

Rachel gulped as she listened to the girl's past. "Why didn't you tell anyone, why didn't you go to Miss Campbell or even me" Rachel said her voice filled with sadness.

"I couldn't, he threatened to kill me and my mother if any of us told, I knew he could be bluffing, but it wasn't worth risking it" Michaela replied knowing that she should have taken the risk but couldn't bring herself to do it.

"But finally about six months ago he got sent back to Afghanistan, the day before he went though I tried to put him in his place, told him he couldn't do this to us anymore, but he didn't listen and he pinned me to the floor and choked me until I was unconscious" she said trying to stop anymore tears from falling but that was unsuccessful. "When I woke up the next morning I was tied to the radiator, and my dad had gone" she finished a low sob escaping her lips.

Rachel also had a tear falling down her own face as her heart broke for the girl. _How could she have missed all the signs_."I can't believe you've been through that, you shouldn't have had to" Rachel cooed trying to keep her own emotions in check.

"But I did" she said simply glad that she had told someone about it. "I guess that's why I'm so angry all the time, well was, I used to go around picking fights with people because I couldn't get the right one with my dad, that was a fight I always lost" she said her voice barely above a whisper as her voice was choked with emotion. "I realized, about a month or two after my dad left and just before John Fosters joined us that I was turning into him, the way I was to people, how cruel I was to people, I was becoming the one thing I hated the most, and I didn't want that, so I started to mellow down, but she came along and turned everything I tried to change about myself on it's head" she said finally gaining some control over herself.

"You are nothing like him, do you understand me, you are nothing like you dad, you are so much better than that Michaela" Rachel said her voice firm. How could she even compare herself to such a nasty man.

"I hope" she shrugged simply knowing that Rachel was right. "Thank you Miss, for letting me talk to you, I needed to" she said her voice filled with sincerity.

"Anytime Michaela, anytime you need me you know I'm here" Rachel said and Michaela nodded in acknowledgment.

* * *

**So there we are chappies next chapter is up! The reason I included the thing with Michaela's father was to simply find a foundation for the sequel I am planning to do once I have finished this story XD but still there are a few chapters left in this one guys so if you enjoyed then please REVIEW!**


	9. Bolton & Bandages

School kids wearily entered through the gates of Waterloo Road. Finally after a week of waiting the school was being reopened. No one had heard much about how Michaela was doing but they knew that Miss Mason did and more than likely she would announce it in assembly.

The yard was quieter than usual everyone eyeing each other suspiciously as if the same thing would happen again. Once they finally entered the building after a quick step through the newly fitted metal detectors the usual routine continued and everyone went to registration as they normally would and finally they filed into assembly.

Once everyone had settled down the children stopping whispering among themselves Rachel made her way up to the stage. Everyone was sat there, even the teacher's waiting in anticipation as to what she would say.

"So I'd like to say a big welcome back to you all, I hope you used you week wisely" she said a false smile on her face. _She didn't know how to word anything today._

"So everything is back as it was before the break and I hope you all have good first day back" Rachel continued glad to get that bit out of the way. The kids were still sat in silence waiting for her to move onto her next topic.

"Now I know you would all like to hear how Michaela is doing and I can gladly tell you that she has been discharged from hospital today and is back home recovering from her injuries, but she doesn't want anyone going by the house or making a fuss and she should be back in school by the end of next week" Rachel said finally a genuine smile on her face as she spoke.

As soon as she finished her sentence the whole room burst into applause glad to know that their friend was recovering well. Even though not everyone knew her, they knew of her. She was a big personality in the school and everyone knewwho she was.

Rachel just smiled at the support the kids were showing for the youngster. _They truly were like one big family._

* * *

Michaela was lying in her bed at home Bolton lying next to her making sure she was okay. Her mother had gone out to get more things and she had asked Bolton to keep an eye on her daughter.

"You should be in school you know" Michaela said her voice lighter and back to the way it was before the incident. She did seem in higher spirits now that she was home.

"Yeah I know that, but I'd rather be here ini" Bolton grinned back his smile huge. The two had grown even closer than they ever had been. Without him there she didn't know what she would have done.

"I don't have a problem with that" she grinned back happy that he was there with her and not in school. Looking over his shoulder she caught her reflection in the mirror and winced. Even though she could see her face she hadn't dared look at her stomach.

Her face was now a yellow and blue color and the slice mark on her cheek was an angry red and scabbed. It made her feel sick just looking at it. Her lip was still sore and cut from where the knife had clipped it and both her eyes were swollen. Looking back at him she tried to regain her composure.

"Who would have a problem with spending the day with a good looking guy like me man" he laughed and she did too. It was so good to hear her laugh. When he carried her out of the school he thought he would never hear her laugh ever again.

"Your bumboy Paul's gonna be lost without you mind" Michaela laughed as she noticed that he would be separated from his sidekick.

"Ahh he can cause enough trouble on his own" Bolton said not really bothered that he hadn't seen his best mate. Michaela just shrugged a big smile on her face.

The two were lay there just staring at each other for ages, neither knowing what to say. Michaela finally sucked up the courage to talk but just as she went to speak Bolton moved forward swiftly and captured her sore lips with his. He gently kissed them trying not to hurt her in the process. For a split second she was frozen in shock but once she realized what was happening she quickly responded.

The kiss was soft and gentle and Bolton rested one hand on the back of her head and her's were on his chest. They were like that for ages exploring each other's mouths that were so familiar yet so strange. When they used to kiss it was just to do something, but this kiss was different, it was a whole new meaning to it.

Finally Bolton pulled back the need for air becoming too great and looked into her brown eyes. He was never like this with a girl, never cared as much as he did now. Never held so much love for someone his heart could explode. _Man I must sound like a right wuss _he thought to himself a slight laugh in his thoughts, _but she's worth it _he ended smiling as he kissed her again.

She could feel him smiling against her mouth and this made her smile too. She had wanted this for ages, even when they had split up she still loved him. Sure she went with other lads after they had finished when she had gone out with some mates but none of them felt right. None of them were Bolton.

The two separated once more Michaela lying flat on her back and Bolton resting on his side next to her. One of his hands were placed lightly on her cheek and her's were on his side.

"So where does this leave us now Smilie" Michaela asked her voice sounding as if she were lovedrunk. Bolton was grinning widely.

"I'd say I was your boyfriend" he grinned and kissed her again.

* * *

The bell for lunch signaled and the pupils left their classes and headed wearily to the canteen. The last time they had been in there someone was stabbed and blood was everywhere.

Finally the door's opened and when they walked in they were shocked to see a whole new layout to the place. The red seats were replaced by blue ones, and the tables had been made bigger. The blood from last time was gone, the person who caused it was gone, but the memories were still there. The place smelled clean, too clean, as if it had been bleached around a hundred times.

The dinner time flew by as the kids began to get more comfortable in their surroundings. In the corner all of the teacher's were sat on a table together and that was a difference.

"Why do we have to sit in here" Grantley groaned as he looked over the paper he must have read at least five times that day.

"Because Grantley, we need to keep an eye on things, you do remember what happened last time these kids were sat here" Kim said her voice laced with frustration at the man.

Grantley just sighed and continued reading his paper ignoring the jibes aimed towards him by Mrs Fry and Steph.

"So Kim" Rachel said turning to look at her friend who was on her left. "When Michaela comes back every Friday she's going to be coming to you for an hour for a counseling session is that okay" Rachel finished and Kim nodded in agreement.

"Yeah sure that's fine" she replied glad that Rachel trusted her to help the youngster through it. "When did you see her last" Kim asked referring to Michaela.

"I saw her yesterday, she seems in better spirits then she was and her injuries are healing up nicely, I'm going to stop by there tonight to see how she's feeling, do you want to come" Rachel asked kindly knowing that it would make Kim feel better seeing her for herself.

Kim nodded happily. "I'd love to Rach" she smiled glad to know that she was getting better. No one thought she would. She remembered when Michaela was taken away and all the pupils had been sent home, she could remember the conversation in the staff room.

She could hear Grantley saying _she's not gonna make it through the night_, Ruby saying softly not liking what she was saying _the poor girl, she'll be gone by tomorrow_, Chris losing all faith what so ever and saying _how will we tell the kids_, the only person who really believed that she would survive was Steph, as much trouble as the youngster had caused for her over the years she was the only person who said _no she's going to survive it's Michaela White for god sake the most stubborn teenager in this school, how can you all give up on her like this._

And it seems that Steph was actually right. Because Michaela was still alive, still fighting, still being stubborn, still breathing. They had lost all hope in this strong girl, but she proved them wrong.

* * *

"You should get going, it's getting late" Michaela said as she slowly got up off the bed. She hated how slow she had to move because of her injuries.

"Do I have to" Bolton grumbled as he got to his feet and stood behind her resting his head on her shoulder.

"Yes, I wish you didn't but you have to because Mason and Campbell are coming over soon" Michaela said turning around to face him.

"Okay" he said and kissed her carefully on her swollen lips. The two slowly made their way down the stairs and Bolton shouted a goodbye to Michaela's mother who hurried into the hallway to give him a big hug and thank you for staying with her all day.

"I'll come see you after school tomorrow yeah" Bolton grinned as he stepped out the door and turned to face her.

"Yeah please do, I need company" she smiled and leaned forward to kiss him. No matter how many times she had done that tonight it still felt as good as the first time. His kiss was intoxicating.

"Okay goodnight babe I'll see you tomorrow" he smiled and kissed her again before hurrying off down the path and down the street. She watched him go until he was out of sight when finally two women came strolling towards her.

"Hi Miss Mason, Hi Miss Campbell" she greeted as they got to the door.

"Hey Michaela, how are you feeling" Kim greeted as she gave the girl a gentle hug. Rachel did the same and she stepped aside to let them in.

"Better thanks Miss, I feel quite good actually" she said a small smile on her face as she lead them into the living room.

Michaela's mother shuffled around in the kitchen and yelled her hello's as she tried not to burn anything.

"I wonder why you're feeling better, does a mister Smilie have something to do with it" Kim laughed and Michaela blushed and ducked her head.

"That's a yes then" Rachel added and she too laughed in amusement at the girl's embarrassment. Michaela just nodded trying to hide her shame at being caught kissing him.

"So everyone was asking about you today and they sent you these" Rachel said pulling out a few cards from her bag.

"This one's from Sambuca and Lauren, that's off Paul, That's off Danielle and Aleesha, That's off Karla, and this one is off everyone in sixth form" she said pulling out a slightly bigger card. Michaela smiled at their thoughtfulness and took them off Rachel dropping them on the settee next to her.

"Tell them thank you for me" Michaela grinned her eyes looking at the cards.

"Right well we've spoke about how every Friday you're going to spend an hour with Miss Campbell" Rachel said and Michaela nodded. "I think it would be better if you told her everything, everything you told me about your history and what happened to you last week, but that is completely up to you" Rachel said and Kim looked at her in confusion as to what she was talking about.

Michaela nodded in agreement once more knowing it was for the best that Kim knew everything, "Could, could you tell her for me, you know the basics, I can't talk about it again just yet, not with my mother in the other room" Michaela said and Rachel nodded understanding that her mother had no idea that they had been told.

"Thanks" she said quietly her voice filled with gratitude. She was about to speak again when her mother called from the kitchen to say that food was ready.

"Well this is our cue to leave" Kim said as she got to her feet Michaela and Rachel doing the same thing. Michaela walked them to the front door happy that they had stopped by and opened it. The two women stepped out and looked at the teenager.

"Hope to see you soon" Kim said giving Michaela a hug. Michaela nodded and smiled.

"Miss" she said looking at Rachel, "I was wondering, so you think it would be okay for me to start on Monday, I know it's a week earlier but I can't stand being stuck in this house" Michaela laughed, she never thought she would ask if she could go to school.

"Whenever you feel well enough you're welcome to start" Rachel smiled giving her a hug and heading off down the path towards the car.

"Bye" she called after them and was met with the same return. Slowly she stepped back inside the house and shut the door heading upstairs to her room.

* * *

"So what is it she wants you to tell me" Kim said as the two got back into Rachel's Audi.

"There was a reason why she was always so angry, and coming into school with cuts and bruises" Rachel began but Kim cut across her.

"Yeah she was always fighting outside of school, that's what she told me when I pulled her into my office to ask her" Kim said innocently not knowing what Rachel was on about.

"She was lying, it was just a cover story" Rachel said as they pulled off from the curb and headed towards where Kim lived.

"What do you mean Rach" Kim asked her voice weary.

"She was being abused by her dad Kim, he used to beat her when he came home from the army, he's gone back now" Rachel said her eyes focused on the road. Kim paled severely and looked as if she was going to be sick.

"Jesus, I never thought for one minute that, that, she was being abused" Kim said her voice stuttering in shock. There was so much she didn't know about the girl.

"Neither did I Kim" Rachel answered not daring to look at her colleague.

"You know when you say abused, he didn't, you know, do that to her" Kim said a sick feeling hitting her.

Rachel shook her head. "Not what I've been told, he only hit her she says, he didn't do anything else, I hope he didn't" Rachel said feeling like she was about to be sick also at that thought.

A worrying silence fell between them neither knowing what to do or what to think about the revelation.

Eventually they pulled up at Kim's house. She took off her seat belt slowly and opened the door. "Thanks for bringing me to visit her, I just needed to know that she was okay" Kim said and Rachel nodded glad to have helped her friend.

"See you in the morning" Kim said before jumping out of the car and heading towards her house leaving Rachel a lot to think about.

* * *

Michaela was sat on her bed fresh bandages at her side. _She knew she had to do it_. She should have her mother helping her, but she didn't want anyone to see the marks, not while they weren't healed. Slowly she got up and walked over to her mirror and stood in front of it.

She hadn't seen them herself yet but she could feel that they were bad. Slowly she lifted her shirt her stiff limbs aching to reveal a white bandage that was already wrapped around her stomach one bit of it slightly red from where the cut had started bleeding again.

Her hand trembled as she grabbed the edge of the bandage and slowly unwrapped it. Finally the bandage slipped off her stomach and she sucked in a sharp intake of breath. Her face paled and she could taste the bile in her mouth as she looked at her stomach.

One large gash went across the whole of her stomach and just beneath it there were two narrower ones. Each one was bloody and scabbed and dark bruises littered her stomach almost completely obscuring the normally tanned skin.

Tears fell down her face as she looked at how ugly her stomach looked. Seeing the marks made everything come rushing back to her one hundred miles an hour. _The pain, the fear, the loss of hope, defeat, death._

She swallowed the bile back down and tried to stop the sobs that were about to shake her. Seeing these wounds made her realize how close she had come to dying. _How close she had come to being in a box in the ground._

Her legs buckled underneath her and she hit the floor with a thud. Pushing herself against the wall she tucked herself into a ball. Pain racked through her body but she didn't care. _Physically she was healing, but emotionally she knew that wasn't going quite as well._

And that's how she stayed all night staring at her reflection in the mirror and wincing every five minutes. But somehow after seeing these wounds Michaela White felt more alive than she ever did before.

* * *

**So she's on the mend physically but emotionally that's a challenge! So next chapter she's back in school guys! Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it and review if you enjoyed guys.**

**PS – who else was well pissed that waterloo road wasn't on wednesday night! Lol**


	10. Stunned & Schooling

Monday morning came faster than Michaela had expected. She quickly readied her bag and straightened out her hair. Looking in the mirror she frowned at the angry gash that still lingered on her cheek. It wasn't as bad as it had been but it still made her feel looking at it. Picking up a small bag from the side of the bed she pulled out a big square plaster and stuck it over the mark hiding it. She'd put her make up on to try and hide the bruises but that was unsuccessful and they could still be seen beneath the layer of foundation.

She changed the bandages around her stomach trying not to look at the wound. Even though it had become easier to look at it still upset her. Finally once the fresh bandages had been put in place and her stomach was completely obscured she stuck on her shirt and tie and headed down the stairs.

"Mum I'm going to meet Bolton, I'll see you later" she said as she walked in to the kitchen to see her mother sat there with a cup of tea.

"Okay sweetheart, I'm so proud of you, going back there you're such a brave girl, try not to attract trouble you hear me" her mother said as she got to her feet and pulled her daughter close to her. Michaela hugged her back and smiled.

"I'll be fine mum, I'll have Bolton as my personal bodyguard if that makes you feel any better" Michaela said back pulling away from her mother and smiling. It still stung her lips to smile widely as the cut on it kept cracking and didn't have the chance to heal properly.

"Yes it does" her mother said back smiling as she handed her money for school. Michaela put a light kiss on her mother's cheek and headed towards the door.

"See you later" she called and shut the door behind her and heading down the street where she could see Bolton waiting for her on the corner. He sent her a big smile and ran over to where she was.

"Hey" she said and give him a quick kiss before they carried on walking towards the school.

"How are you feeling this morning babe, you sure you're up to it" Bolton asked thoughtfully taking her hand and swinging it between them.

"I'm not sure I'm ready, but it has to be done" Michaela said nervously knowing that she had to tell Bolton the truth about how she felt.

"If you don't want to do this today, then you don't have to yeah" Bolton said wanting to make sure that she was one hundred percent sure.

"I need to" she said back and he nodded his head in acknowledgment. It still hurt when she walked, her ribs and stomach throbbed in protest.

"Miss Mason said you can go home whenever you want yeah, if you don't feel comfortable just let her know and she will take you home" Bolton said passing on the message that had been given to him on Friday.

"Okay" she said back a small smile on her face. She could remember when Miss Mason had first started, she was intent to make the woman's life hell and any other teacher. But over the last few weeks she had seen the woman in a completely different light and had the utmost respect for her.

They walked the rest of the way in silence until finally they could see the school. Michaela slowed her pace down a little the fear taking over her. Bolton sensed this and held her hand a little tighter letting her know he was there.

Eventually they got to the gates and Michaela took slow steps in. Everyone around her seemed to go quiet as they looked at her no one expecting her to be back till next week. They all sent small smiles at her but she didn't give them back. Her throat felt as if it was closed up and she could feel her hands shaking at her sides. Bolton stayed close to her side as they got closer and closer to the school.

They finally got to the front of the school building and just as they were about to enter Miss Haydock came out to meet them.

"Ahh Michaela it's so nice to have you back oui oui" she said her voice filled with delight. Michaela just smiled at the over enthusiastic teacher.

"Nice to be back Miss" Michaela replied stepping into the building and looking around. Everything looked the same except for the large metal detectors that blocked the route. "You've got to be kidding me" she grumbled as reminders from her attack hit her.

"It's just as a precaution" Steph reassured as she too walked through them. Michaela just nodded and walked through them placing all her jewelry in the box to her right. Once she had stepped through she put all her stuff back on and headed towards the sixth form common room.

Several people said their hello's and greeted her kindly and she just nodded in appreciation. It shocked her just how many people had said hello.

Soon they were stood just outside the sixth form common room. Michaela was stuck to the spot not knowing what to say when she got in.

"Hey don't worry about it now yeah, just say you're okay, thank you for the cards and all that and chill, I'll be right here babe" Bolton reassured turning her to face him. She just nodded and sucked in a breath before turning towards the door.

Putting her hand on the knob she opened it and as soon as she did the room fell into silence. Everyone was stunned to see her. But once they registered it was her Aleesha and Danielle sprinted off of the couch's towards her. Danielle got there first and give the girl a big hug getting a groan of pain off of Michaela.

"Woah watch it, still a bit sore" she said trying to stop another moan emitting from her mouth. Danielle pulled back quickly.

"Sorry I forgot, oh it's so good to have you back" Danielle said grinning widely as she looked at the girl. Aleesha stepped forward and gently hugged the girl.

"We didn't think you would be back till at least next week" Aleesha said happy that their friend was back but still surprised none the least.

Before she knew it everyone was coming up to. Karla, Phillip, Ros. Everyone in the sixth form room were coming to talk to her, to ask how she was. It was becoming just a little too overwhelming for Michaela and she quickly peeled away from the crowd her hand still firmly in Bolton's and sat down on the settee.

Eventually everyone stopped nagging her and they went back to their business bar Aleesha and Danielle who were sat opposite her still talking. She wasn't really listening to what they had to say the last five minutes had completely exhausted her.

The bell went and she headed towards her first lesson which was art with Miss Campbell. She kissed Bolton goodbye as he headed towards sport and strolled as confidently as she could towards the class. Her nerves were more shaky then ever without Bolton by her side. She needed him there for support.

She was about to turn the corner towards the art class when she bumped straight into Siobhan.

"Oh I'm so sor" she began but silenced when she noticed who she had bumped into. Michaela put one hand over her stomach and winced in pain. "Uhh hi" Siobhan said nervously looking up and the girl who was two years older than her.

Michaela overcame the pain and narrowed her eyes at the girl. _This was the best friend of the girl who stabbed her. The girl who obviously knew what was going to happen._

"Don't you dare speak to me" Michaela growled through gritted teeth before storming past Siobhan slamming her shoulder into the girl in anger. Siobhan watched the girl go guilt filling her stomach. _If only she could have stood up to Lindsey and tell her that what she was doing was stupid. Maybe Michaela wouldn't have been hurt._

Michaela approached the art class her hands shaking in anger and fear. She'd forgotten that Lindsey's friends were still in school, still there to haunt her. She tried to calm herself down before entering the class but that proving increasingly difficult.

Suddenly beside her Miss Campbell appeared a look of worry on her face. "Michaela, are you okay" she asked kindly putting her hand on the girls shoulder. She could see that Michaela was visibly shaken.

"I thought because she's gone that everything would be better when I come back, but it's not because even though she isn't here all of her friends are and they obviously knew what she was going to do to me" Michaela seethed through gritted teeth her anger starting to take over.

"Okay just calm down" Kim said trying to soothe the girls anger which was gradually getting worse. "Now what has set all this off" Kim asked trying to find out why she had these feelings.

"I just bumped into Siobhan, she had a look of guilt on her face, she knew I know it Miss" Michaela said taking deep breaths to cool herself down. She knew it was stupid making such a big fuss over it but she was frightened. "She could have stopped Lindsey from ever doing that to me" Michaela finished her voice quieter as all the energy left her and she slumped against the wall.

"Hey don't get worked up over this yeah, do you wanna go and sit in my office for a bit to calm down" Kim said and Michaela nodded not wanting to be around people at the moment. Kim walked her down the hallway alongside Michaela knowing that something like this was about to happen eventually.

After a round a minute they arrived at Miss Campbell's office but Michaela stopped dead in her tracks next to her eyes wide and glistening. Kim turned to look at her wondering what had made the girl stop.

"Michaela what's wrong" Kim asked her eyes filled with confusion. The girl's face had paled considerably and before she knew it Michaela turned and sprinted into the toilets at the top of the corridor. Kim hurried after her.

When she got into the toilets she could hear Michaela retching and vomiting violently. She stopped just behind her and rubbed soothing circles on her back. _What was going on with her today._

"I can't go into your office, I just can't can we go to Miss Mason's" Michaela pleaded as she rested her head on the cold toilet seat. And that's when Kim realized why the girl had run from her room. It was in there she was stabbed and kept hostage.

Kim could remember the scene of the place afterwards and how much it had cost to have it completely done out. _There was blood everywhere. Kim gulped and a small shiver went through at the memory of Michaela's blood smeared all over her room._

"Of course we'll go there instead, come on lets get you cleaned up" Kim said as she dabbed at the girls head with a damp towel. Michaela nodded and weakly got to her feet. Pain shot across her stomach and she instantly knew that she had pulled her stitches.

Michaela grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifted it up and could see the white bandage slowly turning red. "Great" she said to herself as she watched the mark start to get bigger.

"You should get that seen too, come on let's get you to the nurse" Kim said looking at the blood soaked bandage.

Michaela shook her head not wanting anyone to see she stomach so she grabbed her bag and stepped back into the cubicle deciding to change it herself. "I can do it, I won't be five minutes" Michaela said and Kim nodded.

Finally Michaela emerged from the cubicle the old bandage in her hand. She dropped it into the bin and she walked out of the toilets to be greeted by Kim who was sat by the radiator.

"How are you feeling" she asked worried about the youngster as they walked towards Rachel's office. Michaela just sighed.

"I think I'm okay, it's just hard you know, I just need them to stay out of my way, especially Amy Porter, if she comes near me I swear I will kill her" Michaela her voice deadly serious as she thought of the year 10 girl.

"Don't let them get to you Michaela, it was Lindsey who wanted to hurt you, not them" Kim said trying to get those thoughts out of her head.

"I wouldn't put it past her" Michaela growled spitting the her out nastily.

The two kept on walking till they finally made it to Miss Mason's office. Once inside Michaela sat down on one of the settee's and Kim went in to Rachel's office.

"Rach" Kim said as she popped her head through the door. Rachel looked up from her paperwork and smiled.

"Hey Kim, what's up" she asked looking at her friend in the doorway.

"Nothing it's just is it okay if Michaela can sit out on the sofa's for a bit, she had a bit of an incident with one of Lindsey's friend and was a bit shook up when she walked past my office" Kim asked softly and quietly so Michaela wouldn't overhear not that the youngster particularly cared.

"Of Course, is she alright" Rachel said immediately getting to her feet and walking towards Kim her stomach filled with worry. Kim just stepped to one side and Rachel strode past her straight over to Michaela.

"Michaela" Rachel said gently stopping next to the youngster and putting a hand on her shoulder. The upset was visible to Rachel on Michaela's features and her heart went out to the girl.

"I'm okay miss, just had a rough morning" Michaela said her hand twiddling in her lap. She looked up at the headmistress and tried to put on a false smile but it was unsuccessful.

"Are you sure, as I said I can take you home if you want" Rachel offered knowing that this would be a hard day for the girl and that she would be happy to help her anyway she could.

"No I'm not going home, I'm gonna stick it out, can't let them show that they got to me" Michaela said masking the fear in her voice with fight. Rachel moved to sit in the seat in front of Michaela and sighed.

"You have nothing to prove to anyone you know that don't you, don't think you have to hide your feelings because of the other pupils" Rachel comforted not wanting the girl to feel put out or intimidated at being back here.

"No I need to do this for me Miss, if I give up now then that's it" Michaela sighed sadly rubbing her face gently. Kim had now worked her way over to the two and sat down next to Michaela and draped one arm over her shoulder pulling her into her side gently. They knew how hard she was trying, how much she was struggling, they felt it was their responsibility to help her out, to get things sorted and that is exactly what they were going to do.

* * *

Michaela was sat in English idly doodling over her book. She had been in with Kim and Rachel for at least two hours just talking and trying to cheer her up. Finally she had decided that she needed to get to lesson.

Bolton was sat to her left watching her as she drew stars and small sketches on her book. He knew something was up because she always doodled when she was upset about something.

"You okay babe" he asked quietly not for Mr Clarkson to hear them talking whilst he was teaching. She nodded her head and smiled slightly at him.

"Yeah I'm okay, just been with Mason and Campbell this morning, got a little bit upset but it's fine now" she said shrugging her shoulders.

"Why didn't you come and get me man, I would have stayed with you" Bolton said slightly hurt that she hadn't gone to him but understanding why none the less.

"I know you would have, it was something I was trying to do on my own that's all" she said putting her hand over her and squeezing it letting him know that she wanted him there.

"Okay, but don't shut me out yeah, I don't want you hurting and me not knowing about it, I want to help" Bolton said acknowledging that she wanted him there.

"I wont, I want you to be with me, you're the only person who has kept me going this last week or so" she said looking at him her eyes wide. He smiled back at her knowing that she wasn't lying.

"Good, cause I ain't going anywhere you know that" he grinned cheekily trying to lighten the mood and ease the tension that was surrounding them like a blanket.

"I know" she smiled back genuinely glad that she had something to hold on to if she fell.

* * *

**So guys another chapter down :D next chapter peeps is gonna be her first visit to the canteen and a run in with amy! Let me know what you think guys, I need reviews to keep up the inspiration, I'm doing this for you all XD**


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